Russ Feingold's 'Cheddarbomb': Fundraising Campaign Brings In Nearly $500,000 In One Day

A clever fundraising campaign by Sen. Russ Feingold's (D-Wis.) campaign has netted $435,971 from more than 15,000 donors in just one day, aided by an aggressive e-mail solicitation push by several other senators. The campaign is set to reveal the numbers in an e-mail to supporters Thursday evening.

"My opponent multimillionaire Ron Johnson thinks his checkbook can decide this election. He's so confident about winning that he's already pledged to spend upward of $15 million of his own fortune, or 'all of it,' to win," read the e-mail sent out by the Feingold campaign on Wednesday. "Today, September 15, my campaign is launching our newest effort: '15 for 15 Cheddarbomb.' We'll match Ron Johnson's $15 million with the donations of 15,000 grassroots donors. This is our first-ever 'moneybomb' or as we call it in Wisconsin -- a 'Cheddarbomb.'"

The idea behind this fundraising solicitation seemed to be modeled on Rep. Ron Paul's (R-Tex.) famous "moneybomb", an aggressive grassroots fundraising push over a fixed period of time.

That same day, 11 Democratic senators -- Sherrod Brown (Ohio), Maria Cantwell (Wash.), Ben Cardin (Md.), Al Franken (Minn.), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Amy Klobouchar (Minn.), Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) and Jon Tester (Mont.) -- also sent out e-mails promoting the Cheddarbomb. "Believe me, the last thing a Vikings fan like me would ever think to support is something called a 'Cheddarbomb,' read Franken's e-mail. "But while the Packers may be our rival, I'd do just about anything to help out my friend Russ Feingold."

The Wisconsin Senate race is being targeted by several national conservative organizations, including the Club for Growth, which announced that this week it's "dropping $1.5 million in television ad buys in five states to support it's conservative Senate candidates and paint their respective rivals as out of touch with the financial plight of average Americans." The states include Nevada, Florida, Colorado, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

"[Our opponent] Ron Johnson has said he will spend $15 million of his family fortune to buy a Senate seat in Wisconsin, and now his corporate friends from out of state are helping him," said John Kraus, a senior adviser with the Feingold campaign. "We may be outspent on TV but we will never be out organized, because Russ Feingold is an independent voice in Washington with grassroots support."

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Comments

[tangolas]

12:56 PM on 09/17/2010

Feingold was the only senator to vote against the USA PATRIOT Act when first voted on in 2001.[47] At the time, Feingold stated that provisions in the act infringed upon citizens' civil liberties.
Feingold was one of 28 US senators to vote against H.J. Resolution 114, which authorized President George W. Bush to use force against Iraq in 2002.
On August 17, 2005, he became the first senator to call for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and urge that a timetable for that withdrawal be set.
Feingold has long been an advocate for creating a system of universal health care in America.

Can we trade Obama for this guy????

[Ojodelgato]

03:57 PM on 09/17/2010

He might have too many principles for the job.

[Ojodelgato]

10:47 AM on 09/17/2010

Why would someone spend 15 million dollars of his own money for a job that pays 150 thousand a year - unless he planned to steal it back with interest.

I think we have enough millionaires in the Senate. Russ has my vote.

[ConservativeWorld]

10:00 AM on 09/17/2010

Wow. Poll numbers have come out giving Ron Johnson a 7 point lead over Russ. It is time to send Russ out of the Senate. Let's push hard because Russ's political life is hanging by a thread. His legacy will be that of a do nothing Senator who was nothing more than a pawn for the far left.

[den1953]

10:56 AM on 09/17/2010

Was Johnson told to keep quite and run the Fox news for help to?

[CPAwADD]

10:04 PM on 09/17/2010

Doing nothing would be far superior to the active destruction of the country that conservative principles have wrought.

[jaws51]

09:40 AM on 09/17/2010

All Ron Johnson ads are mud slinging at Feingold. Then Johnson has no real platform, just generalities that cover what he believes people are upset about.

This man is only interested in this office to cover his behind. He wants to protect his self interest while using his wife's riches.

Feingold contributions are mainly from private donors. He has been true to his word on this and is playing fair. He is not mud slinging (so far) and his ads are in the interest of the people, not the other candidate.

I hope Johnson money doesn't cloud the election results in Nov. Feingold deserves another term. He is the better of the two candidates.

[SteveDenver]

09:40 AM on 09/17/2010

Despite its anti-artery name, I AM JONZING FOR A CHEDDARBOMB… Could it be a oozey burger made from the finest ingredients, with a portion of sales going to Feingold? Or perhaps a bowl of cheddar/beer soup with cheddar toast, with a portion of sales going to Feingold. Or maybe a big sack of super-cheddary tortilla chips, with a portion of sales going to Feingold.

I want a creamy, tangy, tasty cheddar bomb, with a portion of sales supporting legislation with forethought and conscience!

[Heath2740]

08:56 AM on 09/17/2010

That is sad. The one like claim could be elected as dog catcher out did him in 1 day.

[SteveDenver]

09:42 AM on 09/17/2010

I think said you know words can make some nutty blue sky

[dsgeorge]

08:52 AM on 09/17/2010

very scary when the uber rich have gotten such tax breaks and all the perks they can get from government yet its not enough....so people like this j urk (i was in WI last weekend and heard his hateful radio ads), Linda McMahon, Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman now want to buy there way into the government....hhhmmm....wonder if they do it for "the little guy"....doubt it.

Russ needs to be re-elected -- this Mud Duck has sent money to the Cheesehead!! GO VIKES!!

[CPAwADD]

09:47 AM on 09/17/2010

Thanks hopefully your state will get rid of Bachmann. I know it's Western Minnesota (cross between Deliverance and Little House on the Prarie). I'm a Packer fan but I have some admiration for the Vikes. It will be tough without Sidney Rice and Harvin. Hopefully Harvin can get right. Migraines can just be awful.

[dsgeorge]

11:14 AM on 09/17/2010

sorry...but I live in Bachmann's district....Tarryl Clark will not win....I will vote for her of course but knowing this district....its gods guns gays....too many who live here think just like her...and parts of it are 250K+ so vote for bachmann for a vote against any tax hikes. She is up 9 points in latest polling which is just about the same as every other election against here....9 points is just that there are more teabaggers in my district who drink the tea and are sheep led due to low information fox viewing than smart thinking normal people.

[politicalguy94]

08:43 AM on 09/17/2010

Support Russ Feingold and donate to his campaign! His track record, when compared to other senators, shows that he is one of the senators who truly listens to the people. We need people like him, people who act for the best interests of the people and don't vote the party line everytime, in the Senate!

[devildog09]

08:49 AM on 09/17/2010

Actually he doesn't. That's why he is in trouble. He is consistently one of the most liberal senators in Washington, but he he frequently finds his position at odds with his constituants. It would be interesting to know what fraction of his $500k actually came from Wisconsin residents. That only gets commented on when it is a GOP candidate and "outsiders are influencing the election." Apparently it doesn't matter when the candidate is democratic.

[aosborneh2o]

09:25 AM on 09/17/2010

No, Obama's contributions were scrutinized almost as much as his bith certificate; plus donations by Soros for example are constantly a hot topic for the right. A good point however is that Soros is donating AGAINST his actual own financial self interests if the Bush tax cuts expire, making his money FAR less tainted. The Koch's on the other hand are donating with the clear intent of reaping financial gain; directly through lower taxes and indirectly through contracts and reduced regulatory control. Note also that Soros donates the the guys who want to further regulate his own industry...

Feingold typically votes his heart and opinion; voting against what would benefit wealthy potential donors and corporations often to protect consumers and the middle class. Feingold is overall a stand-up guy and if the voters of Wisconsin don't happen to share his views, so be it, but I think trying to cast shadow over receiving $500,000 from 15,000 donors (that's $33.33 per donor) is a bit silly.

[politicalguy94]

11:15 AM on 09/17/2010

@devildog09 Here's a bit about Feingold's voting record:
-He was the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act in 2001
-He was one of 23 senators to vote against the Iraq War
-He voted against the bank bailouts
-He voted for a failed amendment that would've broken up the largest banks (look up Brown-Kaufman Amendment)
-He voted for a failed amendment that would've closed a loophole allowing credit card companies to avoid state interest rate caps (look up Whitehouse financial amendment)
-He voted for a failed amendment that would've ended $35 billion in unnecessary OIL & GAS subsidies (look up Sanders amendment)

I could go on and on about his voting record, but the big idea is that most Americans and his constituents supported Feingold's votes on the above things, and would support many of the other votes that he has cast in his years as senator.

[uglygnome]

08:05 AM on 09/17/2010

More millionaires may be buying senate seats this year than any before.

[SteveDenver]

09:34 AM on 09/17/2010

It's a country club, not a congress

[Cacey]

07:33 AM on 09/17/2010

Feingold has been among the few Senators of our time who seems firm in his convictions and acts strongly for those of Wisconsin and the United States.  He seems to have no hate and seems to be willing to work with others for the good of the people.

[devildog09]

08:51 AM on 09/17/2010

This I agree with. As a past resident of Wisconsin I voted against him in every election, and disagreed with him on nearly every position. But I believe he is an honest and honorable man, with firm convictions- and he sticks to his principles.

[SteveDenver]

09:36 AM on 09/17/2010

You say Feingold is honest and honorable… and you disagreed and voted against him every time. What is the moral of this story?

[rgilley]

05:44 AM on 09/17/2010

People are getting tierd of elections going to the one with the most money. I doubt that is what the founding fathers had in mind. And it is most certainly indictive of the decline of the middle class from the assault by the "tricle down" trick Republicans have played on the american people for 30 years. In which time BTW the top 2% have seen their incomes rise 287%,,thats right 287%!!
How much Your income gone up in that time middle class?
Throw these corporatist Republicans out of DC in 2010 and Never let them back in!!

[DrBlunt]

05:42 AM on 09/17/2010

Good for Russ!

[ajmediator]

04:16 AM on 09/17/2010

This cheese head is a hero for all decent people. On of the few who speak with authenticity, honesty and unadulterated guts in politics. He must stay!

[rgilley]

05:45 AM on 09/17/2010

Agreed!!

[Ladleman909]

03:58 AM on 09/17/2010

This is definitely one of the senators who should stay. I've voted for him in the past and I'll be happy to vote for him again. I'm really proud of this guy. Wisconsin is such a bleak and moronic place, but it does offer a few glimmers of light.

[farmerjohn2112]

08:25 AM on 09/17/2010

Offended...not fanned and not faved. You say you voted for Russ (indicating that you live in Wisconsin) yet you put down one of the most diverse and beautiful states in the US?

Wisconsin is neither 'bleak' nor 'moronic'. Big cities, small towns, manufacturing, agriculture, four-season recreation.

I've lived in half a dozen states and two other countries, yet keep coming back to Wisconsin. Boooo!

[devildog09]

08:53 AM on 09/17/2010

Maybe he's really from ...... ILLINOIS

[SteveDenver]

09:47 AM on 09/17/2010

#1… I understand that you were commenting on the political climate and frequent backwardness in Wisconsin and not its physical attributes.

[farmerjohn2112]

12:47 PM on 09/17/2010

Political climate? Frequent 'backwardness' [sic]? I'll concede McCarthy...

The first income-sensitive state income tax, the first university extension system to bring higher education to rural areas, the first unemployment compensation statute, La Follette and the birth of Progressivism, the first state-wide primary in the US, Aldo Leopold, Frank Lloyd Wright, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Golda Meir, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Harry Houdini, Hon. William Rhenquist, Orson Welles etc, etc...

Another FIB, maybe?

[farmerjohn2112]

12:48 PM on 09/17/2010

Oh... I forgot Les Paul

[themodernleader]

03:42 AM on 09/17/2010

    Feingold would not have to go out of state to find campaign monies, if he had faithfully protected Wisconsin technology and industry from "equity funds" foreign predatory takeover and outsourcing.  The temper of the time points to his defeat and the defeat of other elected leaders of both parties. 
   Our leaders have forgotten that they are elected to represent fairly all their constituents, not simply the speculative, privileged groups, foreign owners and  emerging plutocrats.  Also,they are to make decisions under and within the framework of the Constitution and not to forsake the interests of their constituents for the sake of some economic or other crackpot ideology.
    I still support him over his plutocratic opponent.  But I am not cheerful of his ignoring the destroying of our economy and future and pretending that the destruction does not exist.

[OldHick]

04:53 AM on 09/17/2010

Here. Here. Fresh blood.

[ok so now what]

04:56 PM on 09/17/2010

Please take a look at Feingold's record, and I think you'll be pleased with the efforts he has made on behalf of Wisconsin's paper and manufacturing industries, as well has his support of small farmers, the dairy industry, etc. Feingold cares deeply about the people of WI and keeping jobs in WI. Feingold is a champion of fair labor and trade policies. Unfortunately, one man alone is not enough, and a lot of Republican and bi-partisan trade policies have deeply hurt the industries that are important to WI. We need more representatives like Feingold to protect the interests of the fine folks in WI and throughout this country.