Roemmelt Underwhelms
By Greg L | 17 April 2007 | 13th HOD District | 6 Comments
Bruce Roemmelt, who is challenging Delegate Bob Marshall in the 13th District, has filed a positively embarrassing campaign finance report this period which might serve to demonstrate that running around the state pandering to “homosexual rights” activists isn’t exactly a very productive campaign strategy. After fundraising with the Virginia Partisans Democratic Gay & Lesbian Club and various chapters of “Equality Virginia”, he has a whopping total in his campaign account of $5,530.99.
In order to fill out a few pages, Roemmelt has decided to report as line items every contribution received, even though the reporting threshold for donations is $100. Some of these line items are for contributions of less than four dollars. Hard-core Democrats such as Nate de la Piedra of Next Generation Democrats thought Roemmelt was only worthy of $12.50, Lowell Feld of RazingKaine invested a whopping $7.92, and former campaign manager James Walkinshaw threw in a meager $25. It’s pretty pathetic.
Is Roemmelt being abandoned? It’s possible. DPVA clearly has other priorities, and the PWCDC is in considerable disarray and may try to target other efforts. These reports are early in the election cycle and most campaigns are only now starting to get moving as well. After holding several well-publicized fundraisers, most would have imagined Roemmelt to be much more successful in raising money than he has been. If this keeps up though, support at this level is going to mean a long, hard campaign trail for this poster boy for the fringe left.
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6 Comments
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Marshall has what 18k on hand? A 13k difference between an incumbent and a challenger is nothing to write home about. This race is still very competitive.
Marshall hasn’t even started raising money yet, while Roemmelt has had several well-publicized fundraisers. If he can’t even get more than $25 from his former campaign manager, how is he going to raise money from anyone else?
Apparently Bruce hasn’t spoken to Jeanette Rishell lately. If he had, he would know he can claim the rent he didn’t pay on a campaign headquarters, the gas in his car and the money he didn’t pay Mr. Walkinshaw as campaign contributions. Given Walkinshaw’s going rate, that would easily push Bruce over the $6,000 level.
Roemmelt did not even put up a real fight the last election cycle. I remember meeting the man, he was going around door to door, but it appeared that he had no one with him. Seems like a nice guy, and certainly a hard worker, but it is clear that he does not stand a chance in this election. He simply is not going to get Democrats excited enough in a very red region.
I haven’t spoken to Bruce but I’m sure he is disappointed. The problem with him, Rishell, and other candidates who ran last time and are trying again is that they don’t appear to be offering anything different in terms of strategy or tactics. Knocking on doors is great, but tell me what you learned last time and how you will adjust your strategy and tactics to prevail this time.
Why should I, or anyone else, spend good money after bad when a candidate has not demonstrated what is going to be different about them and their campaingns this go ’round? Rishell appears to be doing very well on fundraising but her challenge was made evident by the report put out by Miller. He hasn’t even started fundraising yet and Rishell was only able to stay even during this period. She’ll have to do much better than that in order to get her message out.
I have spoken to many people who donate to local Democrats and they feel the same way. Without any real pick-up opportunities for Dems this year I’ll be very surprised if money flows like it did last cycle.
And in Woodbridge where losing the BOCS seat is a very real possibility, neither Principi nor DeLimba are attractive candidates. Principi because he will act like Hilda and DeLimba because he is one of the most divisive people in the county and would spend more time embarassing Woodbridge residents than serving them.
DeLimba is also not the most energetic of candidates or volunteers. He has pissed off more people than he has woo’d during his years running for Delegate in the ’90s and as Chairman of the PWCDC which he won thru less than ethical means. His base of support is very limited and if he ends up winning the primary any Republican worth his salt should be able to tap into crossover Democrats, defeating George rather easily.
“Marshall has what 18k on hand? A 13k difference between an incumbent and a challenger is nothing to write home about. This race is still very competitive.”
Think again. Remember, Marshall and Miller were forbidden from fund-raising while the HOD was in session. Whereas Rishell and Roemmelt were permitted to raise funds for the entire three-month period, Miller and Marshall were only allowed one month to rasie funds. This is telling.
I would have to agree 100% with Matt’s analysis. These two candidates are going to have a rough time, since they offer nothing new.