LJS: Money pours into Omaha house race

By Don Walton, Lincoln Journal-Star
July 16, 2010

More than $1.3 million was available at the end of June to help fuel the high-octane congressional battle between Republican Rep. Lee Terry and Democratic challenger Tom White.

New campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday showed Terry with $787,000 and White with $532,000 in cash on hand at the end of June.

Metropolitan Omaha's 2nd District House contest commands the spotlight in Nebraska's 2010 elections.

Altogether, Terry has raised $1.3 million during the 2010 election cycle. White has raised $675,000.

Terry's campaign manager, Dave Boomer, said the six-term congressman's cash on hand figure is at a record high for any of his campaigns.

Contributors recognize Terry "can be a part of a bigger movement to change the direction of the country away from the current course of out-of-control spending and crushing debt that is stunting the creation of new jobs," Boomer said.

Terry had a six-month head start in fundraising as an incumbent, said Ian Russell, White's campaign manager.

But White will have the resources needed to "contrast (his) independent leadership with Congressman Terry's record of supporting the Wall Street bailout, budgets that nearly doubled the national debt and policies that added trillions to the deficit," Russell said.