Michael Kitch

CONCORD -- After outspending Republicans by a wide margin while holding the governorship and capturing majorities in both the Senate and House for the first time since 1874 at the last state election, Democrats again enjoy a significant edge in fundraising during the current election cycle. Campaign finance reports filed this week show that Democrats, including candidates for the three Senate seats in the Lakes Region, have raised much more, spent much more and have much more money than their Republican opponents

The New Hampshire Democratic State Committee has raised $777,840. spent $719,854 and has $57,985 on hand while the New Hampshire Republican State Committee Republic Democratic State Committee collected $152,514, spent $102,768 and has $46,128 in the bank.

Governor John Lynch banked $1.2-million to fund his bid for a third term, 14 times more than his Republican challenger, state Senator Joe Kenney of Union, who raised $86,868. Lynch has spent $542,761, almost ten times more than Kenney, but still has $689,000 on hand, 22 times more than his rival, who has $31,484.

Likewise, the Committee to Elect House Democrats has raised $194,189 and has $72,890 on hand while the House Republican Victory PAC has $45,994 left from the $56,505 it raised.

In the contest for control of the Senate, where Democrats hold a 14 to 10 majority, the Senate Democratic Caucus has raised $541,974, including $110,046 since June, and spent $439,634, leaving $102,339 on hand. By contrast, the Senate Republican Victory PAC has collected $129,088, $54,254 since June, spent $55,939 and has $73,098 on hand. Altogether between the Senate caucus and individual candidates, the Democrats have raised $1.7-million to defend and enlarge their majority.

"I'm not terribly alarmed," said Fergus Cullen, chairman of the Republican State Committee yesterday, adding that much of the money flowing into the coffers of the state Democratic party came from the national organization, which was expected in a presidential election year, especially when the balance of power in the United States Senate could hinge on the outcome of the contest between incumbent Republican John E. Sununu and former governor Jeanne Shaheen, his Democratic rival.

Conceding that the Senate Democratic Caucus raised almost $550,000, Cullen said that he is less concerned by what they raised than he was pleased by how little remained. He said that the Democrats had "squandered" most of what they raised and were left with little more than $100,000, or $5,000 for each of the 24 state senate races. "They burned through it," he said, "and have very little left with just weeks until the election."

In Senate races in the Lakes Region, incumbent Democrats Deb Reynolds of Plymouth in District 2, and Kathleen Sgambati of Tilton in District 4, hold wide margins edges over their likely Republican challengers. Meanwhile, in District 3, the seat Kenney left to run for governor, Democrat Willard "Bud" Martin, has raised more than the three Republicans seeking the nomination. Since none of three Democrats face challenges in the September primary, all can apply their funds to the general election in November.

In District 2, consisting of Meredith, Center Harbor, New Hampton and Sanbornton in Belknap County and 27 towns in Grafton County, Reynolds has raised $68,242, spent $13,125 and has $55,117 on hand. Representative Bill Tobin of Sanbornton, one of two Republicans on the primary ballot, collected $3,720, including $2,000 from his own pocket and spent $1,776 leaving $1,943 while his challenger Vernon W. Dingman III of Haverhill, has $848 left after raising $3,050.

In District 4, which includes Laconia, Alton, Barnstead, Belmont, Gilford, Gilmanton and Tilton in Belknap County and two towns in Strafford County), Sgambati has $60,987 in the bank after raising $64,273, including $14,001 since June, and spending $3,285. The New Hampshire Realtors PAC, Genesis Health Group and Professional Firefighters of N.H. contributed $1,000 each while Belmont Gaming, LLC, owners of the Lodge at Belmont, chipped in $500 to Sgambati's campaign.

Laconia Ward 1 City Councilor Greg Knytych, the lone Republican running for the seat, has collected $13,662, spent $4,654 and has $9,007 on hand. Along with $1,000 contributions from the candidate and six family members, Knytych has also received $1,000 donations from his campaign manager Sam Pimm, from PoliGrok, LLC, the media firm owned and operated by Doug Lambert and Skip Murphy of Gilford, and from Andy and Laurie Sanborn of Henniker. Andy Sanborn is one of two Republican candidates for the Senate seat in District 7 held by Democrat Harold Janeway.

Knytych has received contributions from fellow city Councilors Bob Hamel and Bob Luther as well as several former and serving Republican state representatives.

In District 3, made up of 14 towns in Carroll County and three in Strafford County, Martin has raised $50,441, $20,391 since June, and spent $14,792, leaving$35,648. He has invested $5,000 in his own campaign while receiving $1,000 contributions from Merrill Fay of Fay's Boatyard in Gilford, Del Gilbert of Gilbert Block of Laconia as well as $2,000 from the Professional Firefighters of N.H. and $40 from Representative Jim Pilliod, a Republican from Belmont.

Among the three Republicans vying for the nomination in District 3, the favorite to win the primary, William P. Denley, an attorney from Wakefield, has raised $30,190, two-thirds of it from the candidate, while Sam Cataldo of Farmington reported a deficit of $1,813 and David Babson of Ossipee did not file a report.

Cullen was not surprised by the disparities. He said that incumbents always raise more money than their challengers, noting that incumbent Republican senators raised more than their Democratic challengers by similar margins. "Of course, I tell all Republican candidates that they must raise money in order to be competitive," Cullen said. He stressed that despite the apparent differences in resources "we expect to pick up a lot of seats in the State House and in particular we feel very good about the House."