Ose puts $500K more into campaign for Doolittle seat

Republican U.S. House candidate Doug Ose has deposited $500,000 of his own personal fortune into his campaign coffers, just one day after making a personal contribution of $200,000 to his campaign, while a spokesman for Ose’s primary rival said today that a highly-funded offensive on Ose’s part would only succeed in damaging the Republican Party’s prospects for holding the seat in November’s general election.

Ose spokesman Doug Elmets confirmed the contribution and reaffirmed that Ose, a land developer whose wealth has been said to hover around $50 million range, is willing to spend heavily to fund his primary campaign against state Senator Tom McClintock.

“This contribution is another indication that Doug Ose is intent on making absolutely certain that the voters understand the clear choice in the Fourth Congressional District,” said Elmets.

But Stan Devereux, a spokesman for McClintock, charged that a highly funded offensive against McClintock would ultimately fail and would only have the effect of hurting McClintock in his general election battle against Democratic opponent Charlie Brown. “At what point does Ose just damage McClintock in the general election against Charlie Brown?” asked Devereux.

Elmets disagreed. “Tom McClintock is the worst choice the Republicans can select in this district or for that matter any district in California,” he said.

Ose, a former U.S. Congressman, and McClintock, a state Senator, are competing in a June 3 primary for the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. John Doolittle.

Ose’s is now likely to have a significant cash advantage over McClintock has the candidates gear up for the final three weeks of the campaign. Even before Ose deposited $700,000 into his campaign bank account this week, first quarter fundraising reports released at the end of March showed Ose with $845,000 in cash on hand, dwarfing McClintock’s $159,000. During the first three months of the year Ose loaned his campaign a total of $849,000.

“I think that remains to be seen,” said Devereux when asked if Ose’s financial edge would provide him with an advantage down the stretch. “The initial money he spent did not seem to make an impact and yet he is now writing another big check to assault a distinguished state Senator.”

Devereux said the contribution was evidence that Ose was having difficulty in his fundraising efforts. “He is hoping buy the election. He has been unsuccessful at trying to raise money from supporters in the Fourth Congressional District and he has to write his own check,” said Devereux.

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