Elizabeth Esty Outraises Andrew Roraback, But Trails in Cash On Hand in Race For Congress

Democrat Elizabeth Esty has built a solid fundraising lead over Republican Andrew Roraback in their battle for Congress, but Roraback had more cash on hand at the close of the latest filing period.

Esty had collected more than $2.7 million overall in contributions and loans, including more than $650,000 in contributions in the third quarter that ended on September 30. But she had spent more than $2.4 million, leaving about $282,000 on hand at the end of the third quarter, according to public records.

Roraback still trails in the money-raising race, having collected $1.118 million overall, according to the latest statistics that were just released on October 15. After spending more than $800,000, Roraback had more than $306,000 on hand – slightly ahead of Esty.

One of the biggest differences so far is that Esty loaned $525,000 of her own money to her campaign during the primary, while Roraback loaned $25,000 of his own money during the primary – a difference of $500,000. Since the last reporting period ended on July 25, the two candidates are relatively close in the fundraising battle. But Esty maintains the overall edge with $2.7 million in contributions and her own loans.

Roraback’s overall total does not include his latest fundraisers in October, including a visit Sunday by U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to a private home in Greenwich. It also does not include the upcoming fundraiser on Wednesday in New York City with former Secretary of the State Henry Kissinger, who has owned a large estate for more than 25 years in Roraback’s district in Kent. Kissinger’s wife, Nancy, already contributed money to Roraback during the four-way Republican primary that Roraback won in August.

The numbers also do not include huge amounts of money being spent on campaign commercials on Esty’s behalf by the Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee and on Roraback’s behalf by the Government Integrity Fund Action Network. The integrity fund is relatively unknown, and it is currently blasting Esty in a new commercial for voting to raise taxes as a “tax-and-spend politician.”

Roraback told Capitol Watch that he has few details about the Government Integrity Fund.

“I know little about it, about as much as I know about the House Majority Super PAC that’s running ads for my opponent,” Roraback said. “I can assure you we are not coordinating with these groups. Since my opponent has had more than $1 million in outside Democratic money spent on her behalf, it’s not unwelcome for the playing field to be leveled.”

Regarding the anti-Esty ad currently on the air, Roraback said, “I have no control over what they’re doing. The ad that they’re running is truthful. She did vote for a budget that I think was irresponsible. She voted for a budget that I voted against.”

The budget in question was passed by the Democratic-controlled legislature in 2009 and was allowed to become law without the signature of then-Governor M. Jodi Rell.

Esty’s campaign described the fund as “a shadowy Ohio-based super PAC” that started running commercials soon after U.S. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio was the chief speaker at a fundraiser for Roraback at the Hartford Club in downtown Hartford.

Previously, the integrity fund had only been involved in one other campaign – the U.S. Senate race in Ohio.

“What’s most troubling is that Senator Roraback is now relying on a shadowy super PAC to run issue-less negative smears with money raised in unlimited amounts from undisclosed donors,” Esty spokesman Jeb Fain said in a statement. “Senator Roraback should explain to voters just why this shadowy Ohio group with a controversial history is suddenly so interested in boosting his campaign here in Connecticut?”

In an additional effort to close the fundraising gap, Roraback has also scheduled a fundraiser on October 26 by Congressman Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, who could become the head of the transportation committee next year if the Republicans maintain their majority in the U.S. House.

Roraback’s biggest contributors, who gave the maximum contribution of $2,500 that is allowed under federal law, include U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon, retired West Simsbury business executive Ramani Ayer, state Rep. Arthur O’Neill of Southbury, auto dealer Bradley Hoffman, Greenwich fundraiser Donald K. Miller, Priscilla C. Miller of Greenwich, and retired construction executive Angelo Tomasso, Jr. Other contributors incude state representatives Livvy Floren, Themis Klarides, and Lile Gibbons, former state Rep. Robert Maddox, George Skakel III of Greenwich, former state Sen. William Nickerson, and longtime Republican fundraiser Malcolm Pray. 

Esty’s contributors include First Lady Cathy Malloy, former state Treasurer Francisco Borges of Simsbury-based Landmark Partners, attorney Sanford Cloud, Democratic state Representatives Richard Roy and Patricia Widlitz, Cross Ridge Capital LLC private equity investor Kathleen A. Corbet, Love Makes A Family executive director Anne E. Stanback, retired state employee Lori Aronson, Murtha Cullina lobbyist David McQuade, Chase Enterprises executive vice president Cheryl Chase, Matthew Nemerson of the Connecticut Technology Council, and former judge Anne C. Dranginis of the law firm of Rome & McGuignan.

During the four-way Republican primary that Roraback won on August 14, he had raised virtually no money from political action committees. The latest numbers, though, show that Roraback has now raised more than $125,000 from PACs and committees – in addition to individual contributions of more than $965,000.

Esty had raised $1,985,000 from individuals and had about $281,000 on hand as of September 30.