Trailing in the polls and facing friction inside his own Republican Party, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has set a fundraising goal of more than $120 million for the November election. The sum rivals the amount raised and spent by the entire field of candidates in the 2002 governor's race.
If Schwarzenegger succeeds, the money raised -- along with tens of millions of dollars that Democrats are likely to spend -- would shatter state and national campaign finance records.
"We think it's doable and necessary," said Rob Stutzman, a strategist for the state Republican Party. He cited the battering the governor took in last year's special election, when opponents spent more than $100 million to defeat four Schwarzenegger-backed ballot initiatives. "There's no reason to think that much can't be spent again, if not more, to try to beat the governor."
Much of that opposition money was used in advertising that assailed Schwarzenegger for the aggressive fundraising he has undertaken since winning office in the 2003 recall. Schwarzenegger ran as a reformer in that race, vowing to break the sway of money in Sacramento.
Asked if the governor's ambitious fundraising goal this year might not fuel further attacks, Stutzman replied: "Whether you like it or not, you have to raise the money to buy the TV ads that win elections.... And the greater danger is what you actually saw last year, which is when you're dramatically outspent and your opponents can define you in inaccurate ways."
In seeking to reach his goal, Schwarzenegger is offering large donors personal access. Invitations to a March 20 dinner in Beverly Hills offer "head table seating with the governor" for two and six photos of couples with the governor for those who contribute at least $100,000 to his reelection campaign and the state GOP. The dinner's star speaker is Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a champion of campaign finance reform.
The governor's fundraising goal was discussed last week in Newport Beach at a closed-door meeting of the California Business Roundtable, which consists of the leaders of the state's biggest corporations.
Stutzman delivered a campaign briefing there for roughly three dozen business executives and on Wednesday confirmed the accounts provided by others who attended.
The governor hopes to raise $60 million to $65 million for his reelection campaign and, with the help of party leaders, a similar amount for the California Republican Party to benefit the entire statewide GOP ticket.
