WASHINGTON – Republican Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett has more than twice the campaign funds available as the leading Democratic contender as candidates from both parties prepare for Maryland’s March 5 primaries.
Documents recently filed by the candidates with the Federal Election Commission showed Bartlett, 69, of Frederick, had $74,226 in the bank on Dec. 31, after expenses.
He had raised $143,481 last year.
Steve Crawford’s campaign listed $32,480 in the bank, after expenses. He had raised $76,816 last year.
About 62 percent of Bartlett’s campaign funds – or $89,400 – came from individuals last year. About $46,745 came from special interests, or political action committees.
The National Rifle Association gave Bartlett at least $4,950, his report showed.
Crawford, 53, a professor on leave from the University of Maryland at College Park’s School of Public Affairs, raised half of his campaign funds – or $38,305 – from individuals.
About $15,000 came from three PACs – the United Autoworkers, the National Education Association and the United Steelworkers Association – which each made the legal maximum $5,000 contribution.
Crawford, of Frederick, who lost in the Democratic primary in 1994, reported loaning his campaign $7,500.
Two other candidates for the 6th District seat filed reports of campaign spending, although they were not required to do so because they did not meet the $5,000 threshold.
Both Democrats – David L. Osmundson, 55, a retired National Security Agency intelligence analyst from Sykesville, and David L. Koontz, 32, an advertising account executive from Frederick – reported contributions of $2,000 or less.
Don Allensworth, 61, a land use planning consultant from Hagerstown, is also hoping to get the Democrats’ vote. He did not file a report and declined to disclose his campaign fund total, but said it is under $5,000.
Sizing up the primary field, Crawford said, “I don’t mean to sound arrogant, but I expect to win the nomination.”
Seeking to unseat the incumbent in March are Ellicott City Republicans Fredric M. Parker and John J. Kubricky.
Neither of Bartlett’s Republican challengers has raised the $5,000 that would require them to disclose funds to the FEC.
Parker, 35, is a senior systems engineer at Westinghouse in Linthicum. Kubricky, 48, said he is a manager for a telecommunications systems and air traffic control company, but declined “on principle” to disclose where he works. Both described themselves as more moderate conservatives than Bartlett. -30-