In a sign that Representative Mike Honda’s bid for re-election in California’s Silicon Valley will be hotly contested, the long-time Congressman was out raised by his opponent by almost three to one, reports the Mercury News.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Ro Khanna reported raising 1 million dollars compared to $375,000 raised by Honda last quarter.
Khanna’s huge war chest of $1.7 million could buy him the name recognition he lacks right now among voters.
“If Khanna comes up with the right argument, it sounds like he’s going to have all the money he’s ever going to need to spread the message,” said Kyle Kondik, a congressional elections expert at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics.
But the Honda campaign remained confident it could close the gap in fund raising, pointing out that most of Honda’s donors gave him one hundred dollars each.
“He has strong grass-roots fundraising and local support from donors who can give repeatedly,” Honda spokesman Dan Cohen said. “Looking ahead, Congressman Honda will continue to take his message to the community on how he is working to create jobs, improve schools, and partner with the tech community. This is a leader who listens and responds to local issues and is a strong voice for the people of Silicon Valley.”
You can read more about how this battle is shaping up in the Mercury News.
