State Sen. Jamie Raskin raised more than half a million dollars over the last few months for his 8th Congressional District campaign, his campaign announced Tuesday.
Raskin, one of seven candidates who have announced for the Democratic nomination for the seat, said the $553,000 in donations came from more than 2,400 supporters. The seat is being vacated by Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who is running for the U.S. Senate.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Raskin’s campaign is expected to report having more than $480,000 of that money on hand. Second-quarter campaign finance reports are due to the Federal Election Commission by July 15.
“From backyard barbecues in Frederick County to picnics in Rockville to living room filibusters in Bethesda, Kensington, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, and Takoma Park, we have set forth a bold vision for progressive national change and responsive local leadership,” Raskin said in a prepared statement that was part of the campaign’s announcement.
“I am humbled by this outpouring of early grassroots support as I seek to replace our great Congressman Chris Van Hollen,” said Raskin, who lives in Takoma Park. “The thousands of donors and volunteers building this campaign want proven effective progressive leadership in Congress, and they are getting involved in a dramatic and magnificent way in this campaign. I am very grateful to the people who have gotten involved and I want to apologize to my supporters that I am still 900 thank-you notes behind."
The race to replace Van Hollen is expected to be costly, with insiders suggesting the winning candidate must raise at least $1 million, and perhaps as much as $3 million.
Kathleen Matthews of Chevy Chase, the former TV news anchor and Marriott International executive who’s running for the seat, has reportedly tapped in to a network of high-profile Washington power players to raise money since she announced for the race.
Well-known lobbyist Heather Podesta is championing the campaign of Matthews, who’s married to MSNBC political pundit Chris Matthews.
Raskin’s press release emphasized that more than 60 percent of his second-quarter donations came from Marylanders and that more than half of the donations came from 8th District residents.
State Dels. Kumar Barve and Ana Sol Gutierrez, former County Council member Valerie Ervin, former Obama administration official Will Jawando and former District 18 state delegate candidate Elizabeth Matory have also announced for the race.
