Political fundraising beat goes on in summer heat

By ALAN BRODY, Staff writer

Summertime is peak season for swimming pools and barbecues, with rollicking youngsters free from school and families making vacation plans.

It's also prime fundraising season for politicians hoping to cash in on the warmer weather and increased activism spurred by the race for the White House.

Southern Maryland's elected officials are shaking the money tree even as the economy sputters and people are pinching pennies.

Still, turnout and takes from the backyard barbecues, birthday receptions and bull roasts are holding steady, or in some cases, rising from previous years' amounts.

Del. Murray D. Levy grossed more than $20,000 at his barbecue fundraiser last month, slightly more than last year's proceeds, boosting his campaign treasury to nearly $50,000 overall.

Even he was surprised that attendance didn't decline from a year ago.

‘‘I think people are showing a certain appreciation for what I have to offer and the businesslike fashion of the work I do," said Levy (D-Charles), who has positioned himself in Annapolis as a go-to guy on fiscal matters.

He's not alone. Del. Sue Kullen drew more than 100 supporters to her $75-a-head birthday celebration in Prince Frederick last month, raising a tidy sum for her campaign account.

Kullen (D-Calvert) declined to disclose how much she raised or how much of an improvement it was over last year, but campaign finance data shows donations totaling at least $13,625 for the 2007 reception.

Like Levy, she anticipated a smaller crowd but found that local business owners came out in force.

‘‘The folks that are able to give will always support their [favored] candidates and seem to do so with a smile on their face," said Kullen. ‘‘People aren't holding back."

That was evident on Friday at U.S. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer's annual bull roast, which annually draws hundreds of politicos, Democratic Party foot soldiers and average joes to an ornate manor in Prince George's County.

The low-key, low-dollar event is geared towards blue-collar constituents and is one of the few times during the year when Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) sheds a suit and tie for blue jeans and a denim button-down shirt. For $35, guests munch on picnic staples like hot dogs, baked beans and ice cream sundaes and guzzle beers to beat the heat.

Keeping ticket prices affordable is one way politicians attract larger crowds and rake in more dollars.

Earlier this month, Del. Peter F. Murphy held his first fundraiser since being elected to office in November 2006 and charged $30 per person. More than 100 supporters turned out, which Murphy (D-Charles) deemed a success for his first foray into the fundraising trough.

‘‘I felt that people were incredibly generous to me with their time and money in the election year, so I didn't want to come right back and ask again," he said.

The final tally is less important, he said, than getting commitments from people to volunteer down the line to hand out literature, knock on doors and pore over voter rolls.

‘‘There are a lot of things that people can do to support a candidate that don't cost them dollars," Murphy said.

Other politicians adopt a similar low-cost strategy to increase turnout. Del. John F. Wood Jr. (D-St. Mary's, Charles) charges $30 for his annual bull roast in August, while tickets for Sen. Thomas ‘‘Mac" Middleton's annual farm picnic go for $25. Both typically draw several hundred local residents.

Middleton (D-Charles) also hosts a higher-priced reception in Annapolis prior to the start of the legislative session that targets State House lobbyists and business executives.

Del. John L. Bohanan Jr. is contemplating whether to raise money in Baltimore this year, on top of his usual fall reception back home.

Bohanan's stock continues to rise within the Democratic hierarchy in Annapolis and the Charm City gig could signal his desire to continue ascending the party ladder. He sidestepped talk of his political future, but conceded that his role in House leadership and as chairman of a committee studying higher education costs and accessibility entails a broader fundraising approach.

‘‘I've had a lot of folks who have said they'd be happy to help and support me," said Bohanan (D-St. Mary's). ‘‘... For me, it just makes a lot of sense going to a centralized location rather than asking everyone to come to Southern Maryland."

Few politicians have proven their fundraising prowess more than Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., the region's longest-serving state legislator and its most prolific money man.

Even after reeling in roughly $250,000 at a $1,000-a-head fundraiser in Baltimore several weeks ago, Miller (D-Calvert, Prince George's) still dislikes the fundraising aspect of the job.

‘‘If you're a person of substance, it's very demeaning and it's unpleasant, but it's a necessary evil," he said, noting Republicans' efforts to unseat him in the 2006 cycle included paying for nine negative campaign leaflets in his district.

Fundraising can be tough for some even when times aren't as tight.

‘‘It's difficult for me to ask for money under any circumstances," said Murphy. ‘‘That's certainly not my strong suit."

The key is being considerate when regular supporters are strapped and can't give.

‘‘We'll still send invitations out to the same list [of supporters], but in terms of who we know we can count on, that list is measurably smaller. ..." said Bohanan. ‘‘Discretionary money is obviously much tighter and that's what this falls in the category of. This is something that people obviously don't have to do, so it's an easier one for [them] to defer."