Cruz adds to cash advantage over O’Rourke in Senate race
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, outraised U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, in the third quarter of the year, stretching his big cash advan- tage over his likely rival in the 2018 general election.
The Cruz campaign announced that it had raised more than $2 million in July, August and September, and had nearly $6.4 million in cash on hand.
The O’Rourke campaign reported raising $1.7 million during the same period, leaving it with $2.8 million in cash on hand.
That Cruz, an incumbent who demonstrated enor- mous fundraising prowess as a candidate for the Repub- lican presidential nomination in 2016, should raise more money than a relatively unknown challenger who is refusing to take any PAC money, is not surprising. But, in the previous three months, just after O’Rourke launched his candidacy for Senate, O’Rourke outraised Cruz, $2.1 million to $1.6 mil- lion.
“Every day, Sen. Cruz is working to advance Texans’ interests in Washing- ton, D.C., and his consis- tent fundraising strength is reflective of the Lone Star State’s endorsement of his leadership,” senior communications adviser Catherine Frazier said in announcing the new numbers
In his statement, O’Rourke took pride in his success in raising money without reliance on political action com- mittee contributions.
“Unlike nearly every single other campaign in the country, we don’t take PAC money and are 100 percent focused on Texans, our com- munities across the state and the things we can do together to make Texas bet- ter,” O’Rourke said.
University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus said he was surprised that the fundraising for both candidates was not stronger in what should be a good fundraising period ahead of the holidays.
“I was sure Cruz would tap his donor base to put more hay in the barn for advertis- ing in February,” ahead of the March party primaries, Rottinghaus said. Cruz is likely to face a couple of little-known candidates in the Republican primary.
“I think O’Rourke’s numbers are adequate but not overly impressive,” Rottinghaus said, noting that he is attempting to fund the campaign both without PAC money and without devoting himself to dialing donors for dollars.
O’Rourke so far does not have a primary opponent, but Rottinghaus said, “he is going to need every dollar of that $1.7 million he raised for an ad buy in February” to introduce himself to Texas voters and try to excite Democrats about his candidacy.
“He cannot win this race on Facebook,” Rottinghaus said. Rottinghaus speculated that some Dem- ocratic donors may be wait- ing to see if the rest of a still unformed Democratic statewide ticket will come together in a way that gives O’Rourke some prospect of success.
According to the Cruz campaign, in the third quarter, it received 25,977 individ- ual donations from 17,941 unique donors, with 4,728 first-time donors. The campaign also reported 24,768 donations of less than $100, with an average third-quar- ter gift of $76.
According to the O’Ro- urke campaign, it received 32,969 individual donations, and 76 percent of the con- tributions were from Texas. lawsuit. to oversee the conditional use permit process, presented Warren’s plans to residents Tuesday at a neighborhood association meeting and responded to some of their concerns regarding parking, noise, traffic and potential tax exemptions, not all the residents were satisfied with the answers.
Piper Becker, who voted to oppose the permit, said she’s concerned about Warren potentially making purchase offers to her neighbors and losing Bouldin Creek’s sense of community. Warren has bought four residences surrounding the gallery. One of those properties has been designated as part of the main gallery site for on-site parking, but the three other properties, Rye said, will be investment rental properties.
“He’s taking away what the neighborhood is all about,” Becker said.
Council Member Kathie Tovo, whose district includes the Bouldin Creek neighborhood, answered ques- tions about the city’s permit process at the meeting. Tovo said she first learned about the wildlife gallery’s construction in 2015 and said she and her staff have Site for future gallery parking toured the site after hear- ing concerns from her constituents.
She’s also had the opportunity to hear from the prop- erty’s representatives. “I feel firmly that this use isn’t compatible in a residential area,” Tovo said Wednesday. “The impact it’ll have on the resi- dents is just too great.”
“We understand we don’t have a lot of support,” Rye said at Tuesday night’s meet- ing. “But we’re trying to be collaborative and inclusive of this process.”
Opposition for the wildlife gallery had been growing in recent weeks with the launch of an online petition that has more than 900 signatures and with yard signs that began peppering the neighborhood opposing Warren and his property manager, Jesse Ramel.
“Although the Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association has yet to engage us on how we may address their concerns, we will continue to reach out to the organization in hopes that we can collaborate on a mutually successful resolution,” Rye said in an email.
At the meeting, Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Association President Cory Walton said “it was loud and clear (from our membership) that there was no interest in negotiating on the conditional use permit proposal.”
Walton said the association will continue to monitor the permit process and evaluate the best way to move forward.
Conditional use permit applications undergo a city review process before heading to the Planning Commission.