I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
In another fundraising feat, U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., raised the second-most money on ActBlue of any Democrat in the nation for the first three months of this year.
The New Mexico congressman faces Republican Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson for an open U.S. Senate seat and outraised both combined during that period.
CQ Politics reported that the $195,000 Udall raised online in the first three months of 2008 was more than every Democratic House or Senate candidate except Daniel Seals, a congressional candidate from Illinois. Seals raised $245,000 through ActBlue, a Democratic political action committee that raises money online.
Marissa Donalo of ActBlue says the online fundraising is not so different from non-online fundraising. Dolano calls ActBlue “profoundly traditional” in many ways.
Hard work pays off, she said. “Some candidates have called in to ActBlue and asked why they’re not making any money,” Dolano said. The candidates who are successful work toward online donations much as they work toward what many consider traditional fundraising.
Amanda Cooper, Udall’s campaign manager, said the campaign makes online fundraising a priority. “It’s integral,” she said. And clearly Udall has made the netroots at large a priority, she said, referring to grass-roots Democratic online activists. The first thing Udall did after announcing his Senate run was a conference call. She described the “grassroots and netroots” as a big priority for the Udall campaign.
It was thanks in part to the netroots and ActBlue that Udall even decided to jump in the race. One supporter started a fundraising drive to convince Udall he had enough support to enter the Senate race. At an ActBlue fundraising page, the “Draft Udall team” asked potential supporters to “send $5 through this ActBlue page to make your statement.” Nearly 140 donors did.
According to its website, ActBlue is “a federal PAC that enables anyone â” individuals, local groups, and national organizations â” to fundraise for the Democratic candidates of their choice.” The site has fundraising pages for Democrats in every state in nearly every race. Dolano said ActBlue has raised more money since 2004 than either Emily’s List or MoveOn.org.
Political observers should not expect a similar haul next quarter from Udall, according to a Udall capaign e-mail . The campaign will be moving to an internal processing system, but the campaign will still be working to raise money online.
