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Jed Boal ReportingBefore he left town the President headed to the Grand America Hotel to help Senator Orrin Hatch raise money for his re-election campaign. It could well rank as one of the biggest campaign fundraisers ever in Utah.
The President certainly is a draw for a fund-raiser, and the Hatch campaign cashed in. This event demonstrates the massive monetary might that Senator Hatch commands over his opponent Pete Ashdown. Hatch raised more in one hour than Ashdown will raise in the entire campaign, but the Democrat remains undaunted.
More than one thousand Republican supporters packed the hall for the 500-dollar a plate luncheon. That adds up to a half-million dollar fundraiser for the politically powerful incumbent. Senator Orrin Hatch's office called the fund-raiser huge for Hatch, and possibly the biggest campaign fundraiser ever in Utah.
The two heavyweights spoke of each other as friends.
Sen. Orrin Hatch/(R) Utah: "Knows what he's doing. Has that inner core like Ronald Reagan had and isn't going to buckle because of some of the outrageous criticisms that have come his way."
The President urged supporters to send Senator Hatch back to Washington..
President George W. Bush: "I'm proud to call him friend, and he's an effective person in Washington. He's an effective person, he gets things done."
Across town, Democratic challenger Pete Ashdown told us about his fundraiser last night in which he raised eight-thousand dollars for charities that fight hunger.
Pete Ashdown, (D) Candidate for Senate: "He really doesn't need extra money in the war chest especially going up again me, and I want to raise money for people who need it. I don't need it as much as the people who are going hungry every day."
Senator Hatch has also been generous over the years through his charitable foundation. As for the campaign, he Senator has spent three million dollars of campaign money since January 2001. Ashdown has spent 80-thousand. Hatch has 2.5 million more in his war chest, plus what he pulled in today. Ashdown has 13-thousand dollars left.
Pete Ashdown/(D) Candidate for Senate: "I am fighting against that advantage. I have pledged to fight against that advantage even after elected. I want to see fair, balanced elections that are focused on issues rather than how much money someone can raise."
The Senator heads back to Washington for the upcoming session of Congress. He'll return for campaigning in October. Ashdown will travel the state to try to convince voters it's time for a change.
