Gillibrand Raises $3M During Quarter

The Democrat listed $5.84 million of campaign cash on hand in the new report.

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand took in $3.07 million in campaign cash over the past three months, maintaining a fast fundraising pace during a compressed two-year election cycle for her seat.

With the quarterly filing Friday, Gillibrand joins eight other senators who voluntarily submit their campaign disclosure reports electronically. Most senators file paper reports, which are not immediately available in a searchable format.

Gillibrand came close in this filing to matching the $3.28 million she raised in the first quarter of 2011, which was more than any member of Congress in that period. The Democrat listed $5.84 million of campaign cash on hand in the new report.

"The Senator is proud to have a strong grass-roots campaign of supporters who share her vision for the future of New York and our country," said Gillibrand spokesman Glen Caplin.

Gillibrand, known as an aggressive fundraiser, faces the unusual task of seeking re-election in 2012 to a seat she won just last November. In the 2010 election, Gillibrand won the right to serve out the unexpired term of Hillary Rodham Clinton. The election for the seat next year will be for a full six-year term.

Gillibrand was appointed to the seat in 2009 when she was an upstate congresswoman. Viewed as vulnerable early in her Senate tenure, she won 63 percent of the vote in November against a little-known Republican and now enjoys higher poll ratings.

The electronic filing dovetails with Gillibrand's calls for more transparency in Congress. She posts her official calendar online and is co-sponsoring a bill that would require Senate candidates to file their campaign finance disclosure forms electronically.

Advocates for government transparency have lobbied for all senators to file disclosure reports electronically, which makes it easier to search for data about contributors. Candidates for president and House seats already file electronically.    

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us