Legislative incumbents are easily winning race for money

As usual, incumbents in the Legislature are far ahead of their challengers in the race for money — except where maybe scandal or past close elections are helping to keep things somewhat close.

Final pre-election disclosure forms filed Tuesday show that the average legislative incumbent raised $33,000 compared to just $14,000 raised by the typical major-party challenger, better than a 2-1 margin. Totals for each specific candidate in the state's 90 legislative races are available at the graphic link at right.

Even in some of the state's most hotly contested races, few are close when it comes to money.

For example, polls have shown that House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, and Democrat Jay Seegmiller are in a statistical dead heat — and Curtis beat Seegmiller by just 20 votes two years ago. But when it comes to money, Curtis outraised Seegmiller by a 2-1 margin — $115,102 to $51,448.

Still, Seegmiller is doing much better than he had expected. A few months ago, he told the Deseret News he might spend $30,000 this year, but he has managed to raise another $20,000 beyond that. Seegmiller is a member of a national transportation union, and he's received $21,500 from unions, 42 percent of his total.

Curtis can pull out all the stops financially. Besides the $115,000 his campaign raised, he had $228,000 in his campaign account at the start of 2008, and he still has $228,000 in cash remaining. Curtis also has his own political action committee, and has $104,000 cash in it — for a total $385,000 in cash on hand.

In another closely watched race, Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, was considered vulnerable this year amid what many consider racially insensitive remarks on the Senate floor. Buttars' opponent, Democrat John Rendell, actually raised slightly more money than Buttars this year. But because of money that Buttars had amassed in previous years, he has outspent Rendell by a 2-1 margin.

Another hotly contested race pits incumbent Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Cottonwood Heights, against Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights. But Walker has outspent and outraised Morgan by a 2-1 margin this year.

Walker had enough money in her bank accounts that she could afford giving $41,000 to the Utah Republican Party this year. Historically, well-financed GOP incumbents have given to the state party, which in turn runs coordinated campaigns for not only that candidate, but for other GOP legislative candidates as well.

Beyond the races most closely watched by the press, a few surprises in the race for money are occurring.