Senator Bob Bennett spent big before caucuses

SALT LAKE CITY — To battle his seven GOP challengers, Sen. Bob Bennett floored the gas pedal in spending and fundraising during the first three months of this year, new disclosure forms show.

Bennett, R-Utah, spent a mammoth $428,308 in that quarter before the March 23 party caucus meetings, where state convention delegates were elected. He also raised $741,953 in the quarter — thanks in large part to $333,500 from special-interest political action committees, with much of that from the finance industry.

Bennett spent more than double of what all of the seven other candidates combined spent in that quarter. Tim Bridgewater spent $78,120, Mike Lee spent $52,796, Cherilyn Eagar spent $23,017 and Merrill Cook spent $15,720,

They were the only Senate GOP candidates who chose to provide the Deseret News with copies of disclosure forms they were required to mail to the Federal Election Commission by Thursday. Others in the race include David Chiu, Leonard Fabiano and Jeremy Fabiano — but they announced late and campaigned little during the quarter.

Despite his heavy spending, Bennett may be in trouble. Only one of every five state delegates from two years ago was re-elected in caucuses this year, while half usually are. That means four of every five delegates are "new blood." A big influx into any political process tends to favor challengers, and to bode ill for incumbents.

Bennett has said the May 8 state convention is the most vulnerable part of his campaign because delegates tend to be more conservative than the general public — and all challengers are running to his right. If Bennett can survive there and make it to a primary, his big cash reserves could help him beat other challengers with much smaller reserves.

"The nature of this campaign has forced us to raise money early and to spend it early," said Jim Bennett, the senator's son and campaign manager.

He said such spending was needed to counter such things as the $120,000 spent by the Club for Growth in the three weeks before the caucuses to attack the senator in broadcast and Internet ads and through phone banks to persuade his critics to attend caucuses.

Bennett reported $1.1 million cash on hand as of March 31 — again about twice as much as all of his challengers combined. Bridgewater reported $258,000 in cash, Lee had $88,588, Eagar had $69,431 and Cook had $10,729.

Bennett has raised $3.5 million so far during his six-year term — and spent $3.1 million.