As Washington Correspondent Bartholomew Sullivan has reported, the fundraising battle is already on in the 9th Congressional District Democratic primary.
As of Wednesday evening, Steve Cohen's fundraising machine had already raked in $752,003 compared to Willie Herenton's $0, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
So far, poker players have backed Cohen, and numerous Memphis heavy-hitters including former congressman Harold Ford Sr. (no surprises there), Beale Street impresario John Elkington and developers Henry Turley (the Cohen campaign treasurer) and Jack and Ron Belz.
The race isn't on until August 2010, but if Cohen's early fundraising is any indication, this is going to be one expensive campaign.
A year away from the election, Cohen's campaign war chest is already close to what he raised in his battle against former congressional candidate Nikki Tinker last year.
When Cohen beat Tinker in August 2008, he had raised nearly $1 million. As of late July, we reported his total collections to be $817,711 compared to Tinker's $378,756.
Herenton isn't completely broke, however. According to the Shelby County Election Commission, he had $96,638 available in his mayoral re-election campaign account in February although he will not be able transfer that money to his congressional bid.
King Willie Mugabe doesn't need any money to beat that yamika wearing fruit. The King has better organization and more in common with the constituants. Cohen spends his time money grubbing and trying to pick up dudes in the kosher isle at Kroger. I smell a beatdown.