New FEC Reports Show GOP Firm Still Making Big Bucks From Georgia Race

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It was a spectacular 2nd quarter for Deborah Travis Honeycutt and her campaign’s direct-mail firm, BMW Direct.

We told you last week about how the conservative Washington firm was raising big bucks for the Georgia Republican but eating up almost all of that money in fees. Interestingly, Honeycutt doesn’t complain about the firm’s tab.

Now Reader BK points out new FEC disclosures filed Saturday showing the firm raised almost $1 million on Honeycutt’s behalf during the second three months of 2008, but spent at least $736,000 of that on fees related to a massive nationwide direct-mail campaign.

That brings Honeycutt’s total raised so far this election cycle to almost $2.6 million, according to the FEC report (even though she has no challenger for next week’s primary election). That puts her among the biggest fundraisers nationwide in this election cycle.

Yet despite the astounding sum of cash, her campaign in suburban Atlanta remains oddly low profile.

While she raised almost $1 million during the second quarter, she spent less than $50,000 in her home state — including a $4,962 filing fee, $6,000 on “mobile truck advertising,” $3,400 in canvassing fees, $2,250 on a local public relations consultant, office rent of $167 per month and a handful of travel expenses. She also gave $5,850 to her campaign manager and husband, Andrew Honeycutt, for expenses listed as “consulting — campaign strategy.”

Honeycutt now has about $290,000 cash on hand and about $175,000 in unpaid debts for direct-mail services.

She’s facing Rep. David Scott, a three-term incumbent from an overwhelmingly Democratic district.

In 2006, she lost to Scott by 38 points. Maybe she’ll do better this year.

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