52nd Congressional District by the numbers

Total raised by candidates :

$841,314: Duncan D. Hunter (Republican)

$291,658: Mike Lumpkin (Democrat)

$240,349: Bob Watkins (Republican)

$216,642: Brian Jones (Republican)

$48,848: Vickie Butcher (Democrat)

SOURCE: Federal Election Commission

SAN DIEGO – Mike Lumpkin, the 52nd Congressional District Democratic nominee, has raised more campaign contributions than all but one other candidate in the heavily Republican district he’s trying to represent.
Catching up with that one will be a challenge.

Campaign finance reports filed this week show that Lumpkin collected less than half of the amount Republican nominee Duncan D. Hunter received between mid-May and the end of June.

During that time, Lumpkin, a retired Navy SEAL, raised $87,127 compared to Hunter’s $200,871. On his disclosure, Lumpkin reported a debt of $42,217, although he had $53,941 cash on hand.

Hunter and Lumpkin will compete in November to represent the 52nd Congressional District, which spreads across much of East County and northeastern San Diego County. It became the county’s only open congressional seat this year when Hunter’s father, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, declined to run in order to pursue his party’s presidential nomination. He was elected to Congress in 1980.

Also in the 52nd district race is Libertarian Michael Benoit, who had not filed campaign finance reports as of Thursday. Candidates are not required to submit reports unless they’ve raised or spent more than $5,000.

Records show that among the younger Hunter’s contributors were employees of defense contractors who have benefited from the elder Hunter’s earmarks, such as L-3 Communications and Trex Enterprises Corp.

Lumpkin also got a contribution from at least one L-3 Communications employee. Other contributors to Lumpkin’s campaign included political action committees such as the Rhode Island Political Action Committee and the Ironworkers Political Action League.

The rest of the field raised far less money, and two candidates are still trying to pay off bills.

Republican Brian Jones, a Santee Councilman who got second place in his party’s primary, collected $25,559 between mid-May and June 30 but also faced $14,658 in debt.
Jones said he is trying to raise more campaign donations so he won’t have to use his own money to cover it.

“It’s a challenge, but I don’t think it’s insurmountable,” Jones said.

Watkins, a businessman and president of the San Diego County Board of Education who finished third, raised $10,325, but posted a debt of $15,759. He said he has contributed some of his own money to cover the shortfall.

“We will not leave anyone in the cold, that’s not good business,” Watkins wrote in an e-mail. “All debts will be paid.”

Democratic candidate Vickie Butcher reported raising $5,755 for a total of $48,848 with no debt.