Powers’ ‘netroots’ fundraising in bid for 26th Congressional District draws flak
WASHINGTON — Jon Powers would be the next congressman from the 26th District if the “netroots” were doing the voting.
The Iraq War veteran and former substitute teacher has raised $322,452 through ActBlue, a Web site that bills itself as “the online clearinghouse for Democratic action,” while winning the praise of bloggers from Buffalo to the Beltway.
“He’s the model of a modern patriot,” wrote Jake McIntyre, a Buffalo native and Washington labor lawyer who blogs under the name “Trapper John” on Daily Kos, one of the most popular progressive blogs.
Meanwhile, liberal bloggers have dismissed one of Powers’ Democratic primary opponents as “Crazy Jack Davis” and largely ignored the other, local attorney Alice Kryzan.
But there’s a downside to Powers’ prolonged courtship of the netroots. It’s the reason he raised nearly twice as much money from New York City as he has from the Buffalo area, a fact that allows his opponents to charge that the 26th District might not be foremost in his mind if Powers makes his way to Washington.
“Jon Powers is campaigning the same way he’ll govern; from outside New York and inside the pockets of the special interests,” said Joy Langley, a spokesman for Davis, the millionaire industrialist who’s paying for his third congressional race with his own money.
One thing is for sure, though: Powers has used the Internet to build a congressional campaign unlike any the Buffalo area has ever seen.
He started early by blogging himself on sites like Daily Kos and Huffington Post before he announced his plans to run for Congress.
“He started participating in our community, and not just as someone who was looking for money,” McIntyre said.
And once Powers declared his interest in the congressional seat now held by retiring Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, the Web-based community of liberal activists responded.
Powers ranks 12th among Democratic congressional candidates raising funds through ActBlue, said Marissa Doran, a spokesman for the group.
In contrast, Kryzan raised only $27,816 through ActBlue before deciding to use her own Web site to raise funds.
ActBlue “provides us with a really interesting way to reach out and raise money,” Powers said. “So much of what we’re doing is all completely driven through the netroots.”
For example, he noted that people who have become interested in his campaign through the Internet have held house parties to raise campaign funds.
In addition, the Powers campaign has used its Web site to organize “Club 26,” a network of small donors, and Daily Kos has added Powers to its “Orange to Blue” program aimed at raising funds for select Democratic candidates.
Meanwhile, progressive bloggers have repeatedly defended and praised Powers.
“When Jon Powers the candidate is a generic name you’ve heard of, you may not be compelled to vote for him,” Alan Bedenko wrote recently on his BuffaloPundit blog. “When you see him and hear him speak, you are.”
In contrast, after Davis announced his campaign, Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, the founder of Daily Kos, wrote: “Crazy Jack Davis, who couldn’t be bothered to campaign last year and lost what should have been a victory against Republican Tom Reynolds, is now showing that he isn’t just crazy, he’s delusional as well.”
Langley, the Davis spokesperson, dismissed such comments, saying: “Results matter, not insults.”
But Davis hasn’t proved himself to be above insults in this campaign, either. In fact, he’s bought Google ads on all the major progressive blogs that say: “The People vs. Jon Powers: FEC Violations, Scandal, Flip Flops. Read the Facts. All Sourced.”
Those ads steer people to a Web site that’s a nearly direct copy of www.powersforcongress.com— but the Davissponsored site, www.powersplatoon.com , offers much different content. It lambastes Powers for taking money from strip club owner Rick Snowden and for supposedly flip-flopping on several issues. Powers supporters in the blogosphere are outraged.
Asked for a response, Langley insisted that everything on the PowersPlatoon site is true. She also said there’s a bigger issue at hand: where Powers gets his money. Through June 30, Powers collected $138,450 from New York City and $113,711 from political action committees while garnering only $71,050 from Buffalo-area donors, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
In contrast, Kryzan out-raised Powers by more than $30,000 in the Buffalo area.
“We think that speaks volumes,” said Anne Wadsworth, Kryzan’s campaign manager. “An addiction to PAC money and special-interest money can create a lot of influence on a young politician.”
Some $50,000 of Powers’ PAC money came from labor unions, while the rest came from progressive political groups, the Center for Responsive Politics said.
Powers vowed not to be swayed by such campaign donations or by the bloggers who’ve become his defenders.
“I’m going to be representing the people of Western New York,” he said, adding that he has more small-dollar donors and local volunteers than the other candidates.
