Block Reports $550K for 3rd Quarter in RI Governor’s Race
Thursday, October 31, 2013
The filing deadline for third quarter campaign finance reports with the Rhode Island Board of Elections is today, and newly announced GOP candidate Ken Block has announced that for the period ending on September 30, he had $547,685 cash on hand.
The amount reflects over $28,000 in individual contributions and a $500,000 personal loan from Block himself.
See Summary of 3rd Quarter Campaign Activity Here
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBlock, who announced Monday he was joining the Republican party in his bid for Governor in 2014, had reported for the second quarter having just over $20,000.
Will the increase have an impact on the 2014 race for Governor? "It depends on how much money he puts into the race," said Darrell West, Vice President of Governance Studies at the Washington, DC-based Brookings Institution. "If he keeps doing that, he will be in a strong position in the GOP primary."
Candidates' Numbers Updated
The rest of the gubernatorial field will be updating their war chest figures for quarter three today with the Board of Elections.
Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, who officially launched his campaign for governor on Monday, had reported a fund balance of just over $692,000 at the end of the second quarter.
General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, who has not yet made an announcement on future political plans, is on pace to file a fundraising amount of more than $400,000 for the quarter, adding to the over $2 million she had reported for the second quarter.
Republican Mayor of Cranston Allan Fung had ended the second quarter with $256,748.
"Block's chances of getting elected have improved since moving to the Republican Party," said veteran political pollster Victor Profughi. "I think when a candidate indicates this early that they are willing to commit personal resources is an incentive for people sympathetic to his point of view to step up to give."
Regarding the personal loan being the bulk of the amount, Profughi said, "I think what it will do as well is show that he is serious about being a Republican candidate."
He continued however, "Primaries are strange animals, especially on the Republican side. They're not usually able to get a high turn out....I think 65,000 was highest they've gotten. You might need only 15,000 - 16,000 votes to be the Republican nominee."
Profughi then added, "Money is not nearly as important in primaries as the general election."
Related Slideshow: Ken Block—Timeline
Former gubernatorial candidate and Moderate Party head Ken Block has announced his intentions to run again in 2014. Here is a timeline of his professional and political background.
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