Money

Daily Journal - 1st District race draws big money - $3 million - North Mississippi's 1st District congressional race has cost more than $3 million, and it still has two more showdowns before it's done for 2008.

Federal Election Commission pre-runoff reports filed by midnight Thursday show Democrat Travis Childers has raised $484,378, and Republican Greg Davis has raised $861,160.

That's not counting what the national parties have spent - $1.1 million by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and $600,787 by the Republican National Congressional Committee.

By comparison, the previous officeholder - Roger Wicker of Tupelo - spent $1,283,515 against a reasonably strong Democratic challenge in 2000, although Wicker won by nearly 85,000 votes.

With national Democrats sensing the possibility of retaking the seat, the DCCC just bought $702,000 campaign advertising for Childers. Earlier this week Politico reported a $500,000 investment by the NRCC, Davis' campaign and the conservative advocacy group Freedom's Watch for ads connecting Childers and Louisiana Democrat candidate Don Cazayoux to presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama. The Louisiana special election is today.

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Daily Journal - Top Contributors in 1st District Race

CHILDERS – $2,300 – John Bradley, Oxford; Johnny Crane, Fulton; Danny Cupit, Jackson; Jimmy Murphy, Booneville. Of Note – Ricky Cummings, Iuka, $300; Gale Denley, Bruce, $300; Wayne Dowdy, Magnolia, $500; Dr. Richard Heyer, Tupelo, $1,000; Gerald Hill, Kenneth Hill, Rob Hill, Faulkner, $1,000 each; Shane Langston, Jackson, $1,500; Bobby Martin, Ripley, $1,000; Helen Rebecca Meek, Oxford, $1,000; Bill Minor, Holly Springs, $200; Guy Mitchell III,Tupelo, $1,000; Dick Molpus, Jackson, $1,000; Mike Moore, Flowood, $500; Johnny Morgan, Oxford, $1,000; E.C. Neelly, Tupelo, $250; Mary Ellis Pace, Tupelo, $1,000; Jack R. Reed Jr., Tupelo, $500; Rep. Tommy Reynolds, Water Valley, $1,600; James L. Robertson, Jackson, $500; Jason Shelton, Tupelo, $1,000; Sen. Gray Tollison, Oxford, $500; Sen. Bennie Turner, West Point, $500; William Waller, Jackson, $500; Gloria Williamson, Philadelphia, $500; John Windsor, Jackson, $200; William Winter, Jackson, $400; Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $5,000 and $5,000.

DAVIS – $2,300 – James Barksdale, Ridgeland; Neal Clement, Tupelo; Laverne Davis, Southaven; R.H. Dunlap, Batesville; Dr. John Fullenwider, Oxford; Will Gravlee, Allen, Texas; Kenny Hill, Ripley; Mark Johnson, Cordova, Tenn.; Danny McAlister, Ripley; Luke Montgomery, Fulton; Jan Mounger, Jackson; William Mounger, Jackson; Penn Owen, Robinsonville; Greg Rader, Columbus; David Rozier, Oxford; Joe Whitfield, Olive Branch; Paul Whitfield, Hernando; Cal Wilkins, Memphis; Linda Wilkins, Memphis. Of Note – Eddie Briggs, Madison, $1,000; Sen. Merle Flowers, Southaven, $1,000; Eddie Fritts, McLean, Va., $1,000; Delbert Hosemann, Jackson, $1,000; Stuart Irby, Jackson, $1,000; John Keast, Manassas, Va., $500; Alwyn Luckey, Ocean Springs, $250; John Oxford, Tupelo, $1,000; John Palmer, Jackson, $1,000; Kelly Segars, Iuka, $1,000; Lester Spell, Richland, $500; Tommy Woods, Byhalia, $500; BancorpSouth Bank PAC, $2,500; Haley’s PAC, Jackson, $5,000; National Republican Congressional Committee, $3,500; Trent Lott for Mississippi, $4,000.