Shaffer getting many small receipts compared to Gardner's small number of wealthy donors

As reported by ColoradoPols, Senator Brandon Shaffer posted fundraising numbers for the third quarter of 2011 yesterday. In total, he raised a hair under $180,000 in his bid against Cory Gardner. That's not extraordinary; it is neither too low for a major contender or outrageously high. It's a good, strong quarter's fundraising report, which I am happy for.

The additional statistics in the Shaffer press release make for some really interesting reading. They help show the support Shaffer is getting from a variety of supporters as opposed to the huge financial backers than own Cory Gardner's vote.

Shaffer's Statistics Q3 2011:

• Amount Raised: $179, 485.70
• Total # of individual donors: 909
• Average individual contribution: $153.78
• 98% of individual donors are from Colorado

909 people contributed an average of $153.78 to Shaffer's campaign. That's a lot of people making a lot of small contributions.

Shaffer's numbers are especially illuminating when compared to Cory Gardner's 3d Quarter 2009 campaign report. That would be the exact same time in his 2010 bid:

Cory Gardner's statistics Q3 2009:

• Amount Raised: $182,901.02
• Total # of individual donors: 198 (includes 4 PACs)
• Average contribution: $923.74

Shaffer raised almost the exact amount Gardner raised at this point in the campaign, but Shaffer has done it with a tremendous number of small contributions, whereas Gardner did it with a handful of huge checks from wealthy donors and special interests.

Shaffer received $150 contributions from more than 900 people. Gardner's contributors averaged more than $900 each.

Shows you who Gardner is working for in Congress. Only the people that can afford to have out $900+ checks to a candidate more than a year before election day. Shaffer appears to have grassroots support from people that may not have such expansive pocketbooks. Like most of us.