Pantano’s Fundraising Doubles:  Pantano Raises over $350,000 for GOP Primary with 2-to-1 Poll lead over Rouzer

Wilmington, NC: Today, 2010 nominee, author, businessman and veteran of two wars Ilario Pantano released his fundraising figures for the first quarter of 2012 showing that he has doubled his totals from the last quarter. Conservative Republican Ilario Pantano raised $120,000 this quarter, the first of 2012. This jump in Pantano’s fundraising comes after an independent Poll by Citizens United showed Pantano with a 47%-23% lead over State Senator David Rouzer in a three way race.

This news demonstrates a growing momentum behind Pantano as the campaign enters the home stretch before the May 8 primary election. The Pantano campaign has seen increasing fundraising totals in each of the quarters of this race.

The $120,000 raised by Pantano for Q1 2012 represents a 100% increase over his Q1 2011 numbers and a near doubling of his last quarter figures. His nearest opponent, Rouzer, raised $83,000 last quarter.

Pantano was quoted as follows: “What is clear is that nine months into the election, the more the voters of the seventh district get to know each of the candidates, the more my message of small government, traditional family values and service to country resonates with them. Last month’s poll showing me with a 2-1 lead over my closest rival underscores this point. We have a lot of work to do in the next five weeks but I am honored and humbled by the tremendous support my campaign is receiving from every corner of the seventh district."

BACKGROUND on North Carolina’s 7^th Congressional District:

Over $4.5 million was spent in the 2010 NC-7 congressional campaign, more than any other race in North Carolina, and Pantano was the top GOP fundraiser in North Carolina with over $1.2 million. 

The national Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) aided Pantano with $400,000 and American For Prosperity (AFP) contributed $100,000.  Heritage Action also ran ads against Pantano’s opponent, 16 year incumbent Democrat Mike McIntyre.  The McIntrye campaign raised and spent $1.9 million against Pantano. Nancy Pelosi’s Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) also spent $570,000 attacking Pantano.

Despite $2.5 million in Democrat attack ads, Pantano still maintains high favorables amongst conservatives according to the March 2012 Citizens United Poll. That Poll memo is available here.

http://pantanoforcongress.com/posts/politico-new-poll-shows-ilario-beating-rouzer-47-23