Polarization pays. Tea Party-backed Minnesota GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann raised $5.4 in the third quarter, ABC News reports. That number comes on the heels of fellow Tea Partier and Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle’s announcement she brought in $14 million in that quarter.
The new money would push Bachmann’s fundraising haul for the 2010 election cycle to almost $10 million, said ABC. That’s more than double the $3.5 million she raised in all of the 2008 campaign altogether. It is especially large for a candidate for the House of Representatives, and reflects her status in the Tea Party movement.
Bachmann press secretary Sergio Gor confirmed the haul to ABC News late Tuesday evening, and told the network he expected Bachmann to report that she has about $3.4 cash-on-hand. He didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail from Talking Points Memo, and the campaign’s FEC filing wasn’t yet filed as of early Wednesday.
Earlier in the afternoon, Bachmann was still reaching out to her fans for cash, sending this e-mail to supporters:
The Obama/Pelosi attack machine has made me one of their top targets for defeat this year, and their hand-picked candidate has reached a new low. Last week, my opponent released an advertisement featuring a shocking, profanity-laced attack against me, and the liberal blogosphere went crazy over it, pumping money into my opponent’s campaign bank account to defeat me. Today, I’m writing to ask for your help to defend myself against this attack.
My campaign team has informed me that we need to raise an additional $26,000 by midnight to meet our fundraising goal to fight back against this smear ad. So will you help me raise these additional funds by following this link? Raising the money necessary to launch a response will send the message to my opponent that, while she may stoop to a new lows each week, we can mobilize and fight back with the facts.
I’m humbled and thankful to know that you stand with me as I defend myself against these crude attacks from the left. I’ve included a message my husband Marcus sent to my campaign’s supporters last week and I hope you will take a moment to read the message below and make donation to help me defend myself against these constant attacks.
Thank you,
Michele
