Burner outpaces Reichert in raising campaign cash

(Editor's Note: This story has been changed since it was originally published to correct the amount raised by U.S. Rep Dave Reichert in the first three months of the year and to correct the total amount his current campaign has attracted.)

Eastside Democrat Darcy Burner raised more than $500,000 for her 2008 congressional campaign in the first three months of the year, according to campaign finance reports filed Tuesday.

Incumbent Dave Reichert, the Republican whom Burner is campaigining against, raised $331,000 in the same period, including $90,000 from a local fundraiser hosted by first lady Laura Bush. the reports said.

Burner has raised $1.37 million total for her current campaign while Reichert has attracted $1.38 million in contributions. She reported $920,000 in cash on hand as of March 31, about $220,000 more than he reported.

The November election will be a rematch of the candidates' 2006 contest. For the 2006 race, each candidate drew contributions of about $3 million.

Burner raised $334,000 in the first three months of 2006.

The success of Burner, a political neophyte, in generating that money added credibility to her effort to unseat Reichert and helped win her the financial support of the Democrats' national congressional campaign apparatus.

The majority of Burner's fundraising has come from individuals rather than PACs, or political party committees -- about $456,500 this quarter, or more than 88 percent of the total raised, according to her campaign. The candidate received 4,859 contributions from 4,416 individuals in the first quarter, her campaign said, and she got 11,615 contributions from 8,817 donors who have given over the course of the current campaign.

Reichert took 51.5 percent of the vote in 2006 to win his second term.

Reichert's 8th District encompasses much of eastern King County and extends into Pierce County.