Top 10 Candidates on ActBlue, June 4-11, 2008

Beginning next week, we’ll release a report each Tuesday with an insider’s look at statistics from campaigns across the country and up and down the ballot, featuring the week's top ten campaigns. Here's a preview, for your weekend reading!

Editor's Note: Each week, ActBlue will release key statistics from campaigns across the country. We will provide brief biographical notes on the week's top 10 candidates. When we have information that may help to explain why a candidate has had increased activity on ActBlue, we will provide it in italics below the biography. Descriptive content reproduced in the ActBlue Campaign Newswire is collated from publicly available sources. ActBlue does not take sides in any Democratic primary.

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Mark Warner | VA-Sen | $58, 654.13

Rick Noriega | TX-Sen | $40, 181.40

Chellie Pingree | ME-01 | $32, 416.68

Kay Hagan | NC-Sen | $25, 544.68

Barack Obama | President | $24, 642.39

Dan Seals | IL-10 | $23, 878.28

Leslie Byrne | VA-11 | $13, 578.20

Judy Baker | MO-09 | $11, 839.92

Paul Carmouche | LA-04 | $10, 250.01

Tracey Brooks | NY-21 | $9, 510.00

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Mark Warner (VA-Sen)

During his tenure as Virginia Governor from 2002-2006, Warner was hailed by Time magazine as one of "America's 5 Best Governors" in 2005 and was featured in Newsweek's "Who's Next" issue in 2006.

After winning the Virginia primary on Tuesday, June 10, Warner is now officially in the race for what will be Republican John Warner's vacated Senate seat. On Monday, June 9, two Virginia GOP leaders endorsed Warner, touting his gubernatorial record of fixing the state's finances. These endorsements preceded an increase in Warner's already high ActBlue numbers, placing him in our number one spot this week.

Warner's ActBlue hubpage
Warner's campaign site


Rick Noriega (TX-Sen)

Noriega is certainly no newcomer to ActBlue success and has consistently been one of the top fundraisers on ActBlue this election cycle. After Noriega's Army tour in Afghanistan, the two-term Texas state representative and Lieutenant Colonel was appointed Incident Commander of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Houston, Texas. He's now running against Republican incumbent John Cornyn for the Texas Senate seat.

Still a member of the National Guard, Noriega had to report for mandatory training the first two weeks of June. Last week, his campaign launched an ActBlue fundraiser called, "Fill Rick's Boots," to keep his supporters engaged during his absence from the campaign trail. Noriega also recently earned accolades from many Texas bloggers after he spoke at the Texas Democratic Convention on Friday, June 6.

Noriega's ActBlue hubpage
Noriega's campaign site


Chellie Pingree (ME-01)

Pingree is a former Maine Senate Majority Leader and was most recently the President and CEO of Common Cause, a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization.

On Tuesday, June 10, Pingree won the Democratic Primary in Maine's 1st District, picking up 44.2 percent of the vote. Pingree has blogged on The Huffington Post since 2005 and published her most recent entry this week, criticizing the Senate Republican filibuster of the Lieberman-Warner bill, which would have created a cap and trade system for greenhouse gases.

Pingree's ActBlue hubpage
Pingree's campaign site


Kay Hagan (NC-Sen)

Hagan is running against Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole and was recently named one of the "top ten most effective state senators" by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research (NCCPPR).

After winning the Democratic primary in May with 60 percent of the vote, the five-term North Carolina state senator continues to pick up high-profile endorsements. This week, Hagan was endorsed by the North Carolina Democratic Congressional Delegation and hosted a fundraiser featuring Senators Claire McCaskill and Jon Tester.

Hagan's ActBlue hubpage
Hagan's campaign site


Barack Obama (President)

Illinois Senator Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee for President.

Last week Obama became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, officially launching the general election. The power of Obama's online fundraising operation has been frequently covered by the media, and his numbers on ActBlue attest to this strength. This week has been Obama's strongest on ActBlue since his string of primary victories in February.

Obama's ActBlue hubpage
Obama's campaign site


Dan Seals (IL-10)

Dan Seals is currently a business consultant and public policy lecturer at Northwestern University whose professional life has included stints in both the public and private sectors. Seals first ran against Republican incumbent Mark Kirk for Illinois's 10th District seat in 2006 and nearly won with 47 percent of the vote. The former GE Capital marketing director is challenging Kirk once again, and this year has earned a spot on the second round of the DCCC Red to Blue Candidates List. In both election cycles, Seals has consistently been among the top ActBlue fundraisers.

Seals's ActBlue hubpage
Seals's campaign site


Leslie Byrne (VA-11)

In 1992, Byrne was elected to represent Virginia's newly created 11th Congressional District, becoming the state's first female representative. Byrne had a strong week on ActBlue leading up to the June 10 primary, when her campaign ended.

Byrne's ActBlue hubpage
Byrne's campaign site


Judy Baker (MO-09)

Baker is running for the Democratic nomination in Missouri's 9th District. Through her work as a state representative in Missouri, the National Conference of State Legislatures recognized Baker as an "Emerging Health Care Leader." Baker will face three other Democrats in Missouri's August primary.

Baker's ActBlue hubpage
Baker's campaign site


Paul Carmouche (LA-04)

For five terms, Carmouche has been the Chief Prosecutor in Louisiana's Caddo Parish. The state's primary will be September 6, and Carmouche is one of three Democrats vying to fill the congressional seat being vacated by Republican James McCrey, who has held the post since 1987.

Carmouche's ActBlue hubpage
Carmouche's campaign site


Tracey Brooks (NY-21)

Brooks is an attorney hoping to succeed Democratic Rep. Mike McNulty, who is retiring after holding the congressional seat for 20 years. Brooks is the only woman vying for the nomination, and it is projected that she will face at least seven other candidates in the state's September primary.

Brooks's ActBlue hubpage
Brooks's campaign site



* All fundraising totals represent the amount raised from June 4 until 9 a.m. on June 11.