Citizen Staff Report

Citizen Staff Report

news@tucsoncitizen.com

Arizona Senate President Tim Bee raised nearly half as much money during the three months ending Sept. 30 as the 8th District congresswoman he’s thinking about challenging next year.

Bee, a Republican from Tucson, raised $134,620, according to a finance report filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Democrat from Tucson who won election in 2006 to the seat held for 22 years by Republican Jim Kolbe, raised $257,770 during the three-month period, according to the FEC.

Giffords reported $1.13 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30.

Bee cannot announce his candidacy for Congress until after Jan. 1, unless he resigns his seat to run. He has formed an exploratory committee to raise money and round up supporters.

Bee, 38, is in his fourth term in the Senate and is not eligible for re-election.

Bee’s contributors include Tucson auto dealer Jim Click and his wife, Vicki, who each gave $2,300; former National Rifle Association president Sandra Froman, $2,300; Christine Olson, wife of University of Arizona basketball coach Lute Olson, $2,300; developer David Mehl and his wife, Bonnie, who each gave $2,300; attorney John Munger, $2,300; former Pima County supervisor Katie Dusenberry, $2,000; and Kolbe, $500.

According to a news release from Giffords’ campaign committee, the average individual third-quarter contribution was $238. Nearly 90 percent of the contributions came from Arizonans, and 76 percent were for $100 or less.

Giffords’ individual contributors in the third quarter included her campaign chairman, Michael McNulty, and his wife, Linda, who each gave $4,300; attorney Louis Hollingsworth, $2,300; Arizona Real Estate Commissioner Elaine Richardson, $1,000; Tucson Electric Power Co. consumer affairs director Betsy Bolding, $800; City Council member Carol West, $500; and Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall, $600.

Giffords also received contributions in the third quarter from political action committees and other organizations, including the AFL-CIO COPE Political Contributions Committee, $1,000; American Crystal Sugar Co. PAC, $2,000; American Hotel and Lodging Association PAC, $1,000; International Association of Firefighters, $2,500.

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