Just the raw numbers for now:

NE-01 Jeff Fortenberry: $88K raised, $187K on hand.

NE-02 Lee Terry: $112K raised, $282K on hand.

NE-03 Adrian Smith: $99K raised, $132K on hand.
NE-03 Scott Kleeb: $3K raised, $70K on hand.

Kleeb quietly filed an amended report on June 4 so he could begin raising funds for a federal race in 2008. He began his fundraising push at the last couple of days of the quarter, so we won’t see real numbers from Kleeb until the fall, and we’ll likely have a very good idea what he’ll be running for by then.

The lesson from Lee Terry? We need to get moving. Last year was a triumph for the ability of grassroots to overcome a massive fundraising disadvantage, but I’d be lying if I said it wouldn’t have been a whole lot easier if Jim Esch raised a bit more money. Most of us here are still pretty convinced that he’s running for reelection, and I don’t think Terry’s going to overlook us this time around, so it’s time to gear up.

Which brings me to Fortenberry. Though I don’t have my ear to the ground in the 1st District as much as here in the 2nd, I wonder who is going to step up and energize Democrats out there the way Kleeb and Esch did in their districts in 2006. There should be no reason why we can’t compete in every federal race this year. Just need someone who’s not afraid to try something a little different.