OWH: White gives Terry run for money

Robynn Tysver, Omaha World Herald
October 16, 2009

It's going to be a fight.

The two candidates for Congress in the Omaha area - Republican Lee Terry and Democrat Tom White - released financial information Thursday that showed both are busy building war chests for 2010.

Terry is an incumbent and clearly has an edge in the fundraising battle, but White proved he could raise cash.

Terry raised $226,000 in the third quarter of this year, while White raised $204,000, according to campaign financial information filed with the federal government.

White is challenging Terry for his seat in Congress. It is expected to be one of the hottest races in Nebraska next year, especially if Democrats do not find a credible candidate to run against Republican Gov. Dave Heineman.

In terms of actual bank accounts, Terry's was bigger.

Terry, who started raising money at the beginnnng of the year, had $335,000 in the bank.

White, who started raising money this summer, had $197,000 in the bank.

White said he was pleased with the numbers, saying it shows there is heightened interest in the race. "To raise this kind of money, against an incumbent, in an off-election year, is huge," said White, who has vowed to raise a $1 million in the race.

David Boomer, Terry’s campaign manager, said he had expected White to raise more than Terry this quarter, since it was the Democrat’s first foray into congressional fundraising. "This was his quarter and we out-raised him," said Boomer.

White started raising money in July.