John McCain spends $15M to hold off Hayworth

PHOENIX - U.S. Sen. John McCain has spared no expense in his primary battle against J.D. Hayworth, spending more than $15 million in his bid to hold off the former congressman’s challenge from the right.

According to a quarterly report filed with the Federal Elections Committee, McCain has spent about 10 times more than Hayworth and far more than all other candidates combined. He reported spending about $15.6 million, compared to about $1.5 million for Hayworth.

The bulk of McCain’s spending came in the last quarter, with the campaign dishing out $10.1 million from the start of April to the end of June. The funding appears to have paid off. Polling from the past month, in which McCain has run a barrage of television ads, has shown McCain with leads ranging from 11 percent in a June 16 Rasmussen Reports poll to 45 percent in a July 11 Rocky Mountain Poll.

Hayworth spokesman Mark Sanders said McCain’s prolific campaign spending was a sign of his vulnerability in the race. Sanders questioned the credibility of the Rocky Mountain Poll, and said most polling did not show such a significant lead for McCain.

“I think it’s more indicative of the fear that the campaign had when they transferred that money and when they went on this barrage of negative campaign (ads) and the political tilt to the right that they have taken,” Sanders said. “I about fell out of my chair the other night at the debate when he said, ‘By the way, I never was for amnesty.’”

More than half of the money in McCain’s massive war chest was transferred from his 2008 presidential campaign. According to McCain’s FEC report, $9.7 million was transferred to his Senate campaign from other accounts.

Under federal campaign finance laws, candidates can use money raised for other federal campaigns. Sanders, however, described McCain’s use of money from his 2008 presidential bid as “unethical.”

“It’s still dishonorable to take money for one race and then use it for something completely different,” he said.

Hayworth, whose polling numbers have declined significantly over the past few months, raised about $2.4 million in the race.

McCain’s campaign finance report shows about $1.7 million in cash on hand, while Hayworth reported about $922,000. Jim Deakin, the third Republican in the race, has raised about $34,000.

Former Tucson Vice Mayor Rodney Glassman led the four-way Democratic primary with a little over $1 million raised. Glassman reported spending about $335,000.

Cathy Eden, the former director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, reported raising about $123,000, while community activist Randy Parraz raised about $54,000. Former Phoenix New Times reporter John Dougherty raised about $46,000.

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