Mia Love's 'Love Bomb' fundraiser up for national campaign award

SALT LAKE CITY — Mia Love lost her bid for Congress, but she could win an award for her "Love Bomb" fundraiser on the heels of her rousing speech at the Republican National Convention.

Campaigns & Elections magazine nominated her campaign and Craft Media/Digital for a Reed Award under the category Best Earned Media Around a Single Event. Named after the magazine's founder, Stanley Foster Reed, the awards represent excellence in political campaigning, campaign management, political consulting and political design.

Just before the GOP convention, the Love campaign launched an online fundraising blitz called a money bomb that sought to capitalize on her speech.

“This ‘Love Bomb’ is about bringing supporters together to make a big difference in this race by raising $50,000, $65,000, $75,000, $100,000, $125,000, $150,000, $175,000 for Mia,” her website said.

Love, the mayor of Saratoga Springs, ultimately raked in about $250,000 in a matter of days after the August convention speech.

Even though no television network other than C-SPAN carried Love's speech in its entirety, Love became the No. 1 search trend on Google the next day.

Despite the national splash and raising $2.25 million, Love lost to Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson by 768 votes in Utah's 4th Congressional District.

Campaigns & Elections will announce the award winners Feb. 1 in Washington, D.C.

— Dennis Romboy, Twitter: dennisromboy