Everybody loves you when you’re about to wield absolute, unfettered power. Just ask the Massachusetts Democratic Party. For the first eight-and-a-half months of the year, it took in $828,000 in contributions — roughly even with the state Republican Party Committee’s take. Then, post-primary polls showed Deval Patrick holding a massive lead over Kerry Healey, and veto-proof majorities in both the House and the Senate safe as well. Checks rolled in: a whopping $1.2 million to the state Democratic committee between mid September and mid October.
Of course, some held out, perhaps thinking that the race was tightening. That is, until October 24, when three new polls showed Patrick with the same commanding lead.
Checkbooks again came flying out of pockets. In the next three days, the party committee deposited more than $525,000 in contributions, according to state reports.
That included checks at or near the legal limit of $5000 from a few folks who had, until recently, bet on the other horse — most notably Republican turncoat Gloria Larson, who contributed to Healey as recently as August. But she’s not alone. Richard Bane, owner of Bane Nursing Homes, had previously given to Kerry Healey and the Republican State Committee; John Donohue, executive with Arbella Insurance, gave to both Healey and Reed Hillman earlier this year; Attorney Frances Robinson gave to Healey in April; Eric Schlager, CEO of the Bullfinch Companies, gave to Healey in late September, 10 days after the primary — then gave to Patrick on October 19, as well as to the Democratic State Party October 26.
The Massachusetts Republican Party has not been feeling the same amount of love. After raising just over $1 million through primary day (September 19), the state GOP has been out-raised roughly four-to-one since, reporting a meager $438,000 of deposits.
