Advantages of an Elephant and (maybe) a Donkey

It is overtly obvious that two major political parties dominate contemporary politics in the United States, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. Both political parties have fundamental platforms that endorsed candidates tend to abide to; the Republican Party being considered generally conservative and right of the political spectrum while the Democratic Party is considered more liberal and left of the political spectrum. Political parties play a significant role in a congressional race due to monetary aid and endorsements by prominent party members.

Erik Paulsen, the incumbent for Minnesota's Third Congressional District, is a member of the Republican Party and naturally Paulsen's challenger, Jim Meffert, is a member of the Democratic Party. So far in 2010, Paulsen's campaign has raised an astonishing $1,991,726! A majority of those funds have come from individual and PAC contributions. The top Paulsen contributors include major businesses of Minnesota including Target Corp. and TCF Financial. Paulsen has supported continuing tax cuts passed by President Bush and has opposed the health care bill passed by current President Obama; a prime example of a Republican candidate platform.

On the contrary, Meffert has only managed to raise $230,900, a fraction of the Paulsen campaign. In support of Obama's health care bill and running on an unmistakable Democratic platform, Meffert stated on his website, "This bill is a first step towards achieving universal and affordable health care as a right, not a privilege". The Democratic Party, however, has failed to find substantial endorsements for their candidate resulting in fewer funds and a reduced amount of support.

Could Meffert lose this campaign because of his party's lack of financial backing and endorsements?



"Paulsen Outraises Meffert Nine to One"

Third Congressional District of MN - Campaign Finance Data