http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-funds2oct15,0,3903481.story?coll=stam-news-local-headlines

Shays sets mark quarterly fundraising

By Mark Ginocchio
Staff Writer

October 15, 2006

U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays bounced back with a strong fundraising quarter, raising $840,000 and eclipsing the quarterly record set by his Democratic opponent Diane Farrell earlier this year.

About 1,560 people donated to Shays, R-Bridgeport, from July 1 to Sept. 30, with 64 percent of the quarterly total from the 4th Congressional District and 81 percent from the state.

Farrell, who had outpaced Shays the two previous quarters, including a district record $787,000 from April 1 to June 30, raised $580,309 in the third quarter.

Breakdowns of how much Farrell raised from district and state donors were unavailable last night. The candidates must file their finance reports with the Federal Election Commission today.

"Once again, a large percentage of Christopher's donors from the 4th District and other Connecticut residents," said Michael Sohn, Shays' campaign manager. "He's gracious for all of the support he receives."

Several high-profile supporters held fundraisers for Shays last quarter, including a stop in Greenwich by President Bush last month, which pulled in more than $600,000 for state congressional Republicans.

Farrell said Shays relied on ineffective party leaders to boost his fundraising efforts.

"I am sure once they saw Chris Shays standing side by side and raising money with President Bush, and Republican leaders like Speaker (Dennis) Hastert, Majority Leader (John) Boehner and former Speaker Newt Gingrich, they realized nothing would change if Chris was re-elected," Farrell said in a statement yesterday. "I represent the change in Washington that will end the war in Iraq and bring fiscal sanity back to our budgets. Chris represents the status quo, and voters here now realize that."

Farrell's also received help from her party during the third fundraising quarter, including a visit by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. in August.

Libertarian candidate Phil Maymin who successfully petitioned his way onto the ballot in August, raised $17,542 for the quarter, spending $5,352 of his own money.

He said he was not concerned by the substantial financial gains of the major-party candidates.

"They're spending most of their money on slick mailings degrading the other," Maymin said in a telephone interview yesterday. "They're doing my job for me."

Green Party candidate Richard Duffee could not be reached for comment yesterday afternoon, so his financial numbers were not available.

At the end of the quarter, Shays had $1.61 million cash on hand compared with $812,117 for Farrell and $3,905 for Maymin.

Shays has raised more than $3.2 million for his re-election campaign, viewed by many analysts to be his closest race yet. Farrell has raised $2.5 million and Maymin close to $23,000.