Long Raises $145,055, Has $245,055 On Hand

LONG REEL$ IT IN

POSTS IMPRESSIVE 1st QUARTER

(AND DOES IT WITHOUT CONSULTANTS)

UPDATED: Has $239,572 Cash-on-Hand

Auctioneer Billy Long raised $145,055 in contributions over the last three months and donated $100,000 of his own money to his campaign for Roy Blunt's Congressional seat.

That puts Long's total haul at $245,055 for the first fundraising quarter of the year, which includes any contributions made from January through March.

According to Long, more than 90 percent of his donations came from Southwest Missouri residents. The $100,000 from Long and his wife is being reported as a contribution, not a loan.

Asked how much cash he has on hand to spend, Long replied, "we've spent very little. No consultants, no hired guns, we're sort of all pitching in and winging it." In a later e-mail, Long said he has $239,572 on hand to spend. The first campaign finance reports of the year are due to the Federal Elections Commission this Wednesday.

Sen. Jack Goodman, the only other candidate who's officially announced he's running for the 7th Congressional District, declined to release his fundraising numbers in advance to The Notebook.

"Barbara and I are 100% committed to this effort as we believe southwest Missouri needs conservative business owners in the U.S. Congress and not career politicians," Long said.

"Over half of our representatives have spent over half of their adult lives in one political office or another. Lifetime politicians have led this country down the wrong road, and I hope to change this by offering ideas for the future that are based on conservative principles, sound business practices and common sense," Long added.

Republican political operatives have told The Notebook that any reports of more than $100,000 would be "very impressive."

"100,000 dollars raised -- not loans or committee transfers -- is flat out the number," said one veteran GOP observer. "Anything over $150 thousand is huge."

Many observers will closely be perusing the report of Convoy of Hope President Hal Donaldson, who has announced an exploratory committee to feel out a run.

DEVELOPING . . .