Delaney’s 2020 presidential fundraising

[Mr. Morden]

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Beat/2017/John-Delaney-Gets-Financial-Boost-From-Close-to-Home-in-Presidential-Bid/

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So he raised ~$600k so far and spent about half of it, with the remaining half in the bank.  Among the things he spent on:

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[Sestak]

Is there seriously any chance that this spending will translate into votes?

[IceSpear]

Is there seriously any chance that this spending will translate into votes?

No.

I love that we already have our 2020 version of Jim Gilmore. Go Delaney Go!

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Is there seriously any chance that this spending will translate into votes?

No.

I love that we already have our 2020 version of Jim Gilmore. Go Delaney Go!

Remember that there are more people named Jim Gilmore in Iowa than who voted for Jim Gilmore in that state

[Mr. Morden]

If he really raised $600,000, that's not bad.  That's more than either Jindal or Santorum raised in the third quarter of 2015, and way more than Gilmore and Pataki raised:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=219971.msg4762474#msg4762474

It sounds like some of the people who donated were just folks who were eager to write a check to any Democrat running against Trump, and Delaney's the only current option.  So maybe there's a method to his madness in announcing so early.

[Sestak]

If he really raised $600,000, that's not bad.  That's more than either Jindal or Santorum raised in the third quarter of 2015, and way more than Gilmore and Pataki raised:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=219971.msg4762474#msg4762474

It sounds like some of the people who donated were just folks who were eager to write a check to any Democrat running against Trump, and Delaney's the only current option.  So maybe there's a method to his madness in announcing so early.

But money doesn't mean much if you can't get votes. For all the talk that people have about "money in politics", no one does well on money alone. It doesn't matter know much campaign money he gets, Delaney still won't be getting anything from it.

[beaver2.0]

It sounds like some of the people who donated were just folks who were eager to write a check to any Democrat running against Trump, and Delaney's the only current option.  So maybe there's a method to his madness in announcing so early.

I agree with this, but I think almost all of these people will switch to someone with more name recognition once they declare their candidacy.

Maybe, if Delaney presents himself as a strong anti-Trump voice in Congress, he will be able to become a major candidate, but I just can't see him doing that.

[Mr. Morden]

It sounds like some of the people who donated were just folks who were eager to write a check to any Democrat running against Trump, and Delaney's the only current option.  So maybe there's a method to his madness in announcing so early.

I agree with this, but I think almost all of these people will switch to someone with more name recognition once they declare their candidacy.

Right, but if Delaney had the good sense to sit on that money he's just raised rather than spend it now, he'd still come out ahead $-wise compared to where he'd be if he'd waited two years to declare, and no one donated any $ to him at all because there were other choices in the race by then.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't think he has any chance to get anywhere in the primaries.  I just think that, if you're a candidate who has no chance anyway but are looking to maximize your fundraising haul, announcing your candidacy early is a gimmick that I guess you might as well try.  By doing it this way, he's at least spared himself the embarrassment of having the initial quarter of his fundraising reaching Lincoln Chafee levels of failure.

[Mr. Morden]

Btw, Delaney says he hopes to do more than 400 events in Iowa between now and January 2019.  Not January 2020, but January 2019:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2017/10/20/john-delaney-2020-presidential-iowa-caucuses/780497001/

Yes, that's an average of ~1 event there a day for the next year+.