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By John E. Mulligan
Journal Washington bureau
Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline continues to be the fundraising leader among Democrat candidates in the 1st Congressional District primary, pulling in $171,410 since July 1, according to the latest federal reports.
But Cicilline's rivals are trying to make a race of it, with self-styled moderate Anthony Gemma pouring more than $200,000 of his own money into his campaign.
State Rep. David Segal, of Providence, who presents himself as the progressive in the field, has poached on the mayor's liberal fundraising turf as well, while raising $76,253 during the reporting period. Former state party chairman William Lynch reported contributions of $45,291 between July 1 and Aug. 25.
Cicilline is raising money in the way an established incumbent might, with a donor list that features prominent people in the construction, show business, labor, lobbying and lottery fields. Cicilline's contributions include $22,883 from political action committees (PACs), the fundraising arms of corporations, unions and issue-oriented interest groups.
During the homestretch of the run for Democratic nomination to succeed retiring Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, Cicilline has exploited the financial edge he built when he recycled hundreds of thousands of dollars originally donated to his intended campaign for reelection to City Hall. Earlier in the year, the mayor asked donors to return their contributions to his mayoral campaign and give like sums to his congressional campaign.
The mayor spent $650,333 between July 1 and Aug. 25, according to his latest report to the Federal Election Commission. That's almost double the aggregate spending reported by Segal, Gemma and Lynch.
Nevertheless, Cicilline's rivals are spending at a healthy rate to buy advertising air time, pay media consultants and deploy Internet campaigning tools. Segal, who has highlighted his liberal positions on such issues as the war in Afghanistan, reported spending $95,112 during the eight-week reporting period.
Businessman Gemma, whose attacks on the mounting federal deficit are a major theme of his campaign, reported spending $201,919 - including many expenditures listed as advertising on Facebook.
Gemma reported contributing $113,744 of his own money to the campaign. He also loaned $78,000 to the campaign - bringing the total of his loans to date to $278,500.
Cicilline reported having $445,631 in cash on hand on Aug. 25; Gemma, $186,370; Segal, $60,979 and Lynch, $67,249.
The only Republican candidate who has raised enough money to require federal reports, Tiverton state Rep. John J. Loughlin II, reported raising $21,235 during the pre-primary period and spending $54,462. He had $67,249 left in the bank.
