After the Tea Party deluge: new GOP African-American reps flying high, financially

Following up on the posts of the past two days on debt, the debt ceiling, and campaign debt

Rep. Allen B. West

Here in alphabetical order is a quick list of the new African-American members of Congress among the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, elected in 2010, with the numbers showing where they currently stand financially. (Dollar amounts from the Center for Responsive Politics; 2010 totals as of Dec. 31, 2010; 2012 totals as of June 30.) This group’s membership hails totally from the Southeastern states.

First, Tim Scott (R-S.C.), elected with heavy Tea Party support:

For 2012:

Scott has raised $553,598, spent $230,060. Cash on hand: $392,382. Debts: zero.

For 2010:

Raised $1,213,574, spent $1,136,730. Cash on hand: $76,844. Debts: zero.

While that looks like quite a bit of money raised and quite a bit of money spent, for a deficit hawk, the net outcome financially is still on the plus side of zero. Scott is one of the tight group of four South Carolinians who voted devotedly against raising the debt ceiling even in final passage.

Second, and last, Allen B. West (R-Fl.):

For 2012, West reports raising $2,076,597, has spent $862,700. Cash on hand: $1,266,356. Debts: zero.

For 2010, West raised $6,542,738, spent $6,519,713. Cash on hand: $52,459. Debts: zero.

As with Scott, the financial picture is a lot of money in, a lot of money out, except even more so. West is, of course, a Tea Party voice of sorts, and one of the most carrying voices, not associated with modulation. It seems to have worked out better for him and for Scott than it has for Latino Tea Partyer Reps Flores and Canseco of Texas. For comparison, or perspective, the case study of Allen West is among other things a reminder not to take short cuts in analysis; not all minorities are equally unequal.

West, be it noted, still has money on hand, after spending most of what he raised for 2010, in spite of having an opponent and in spite of being Allen West. His saga in short form is that he simply seems to get lots of money by virtue of going on television and saying ugly things, a fact seemingly not escaping the notice of Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), though it hasn’t worked for Walsh yet, at least not in the same degree.

Third-quarter tallies are due to be reported mid-October. A few weeks will tell whether West continues to enjoy the financial benefits of seldom being out-uglied.