Clark, Day In Tight Fundraising Race Ahead of Primary

Heading into the primary this Tuesday, state Senate Democratic candidates Katherine Clark andMichael Day have been locked in a tight fundraising battle, according to reports released this week on the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) website.

From Jan. 1 through Aug. 27, Clark raised $121,938 in campaign contributions, outpacing Day's haul of $91,785.

However, Day started the year with $69,575 in his war chest—$16,000 more than what Clark had in her campaign account. Reports of Day considering a run for state Senate first surfaced in September 2009, although he did not formally announce his candidacy until March of this year, while Clark announced her candidacy in December 2009.

Day also outspent Clark this year, spending $137,094 on his campaign, while Clark spent $122,138.

The winner of Tuesday's primary will go on to face Republican candidate Craig Spadafora in the general election to replace Sen. Richard Tisei, who represents Melrose Wards 1-5 and is vacating the seat to run for lieutenant governor.

Unlike Clark and Day, Spadafora did not face a primary challenge for his party's nomination, but he still raised $90,131 this year in campaign contributions. He started the year with $3,107 in his campaign account—he announced his candidacy in December 2009—and has spent $60,179 this year.

Clark had more than 20 campaign contributions from political action committees (PACs) and organizations, more than Day or Spadafora. Among those PACs and organizations were The Dolan Committee; 1199 SEIU Mass PAC; Beer Distributors PAC; Boston Teachers Union PAC; and Massachusetts Municipal Police Coalition.

Notable contributors to Clark's campaign include $500 donations from state Attorney General Martha Coakley—Clark previously worked as the chief of the policy division at the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office—and from former Melrose Mayor Patrick Guerriero.

Day also received contributions from PACs and organizations, including IBEW Local 103 PAC; IBEW Local Union 2222; IUPAT District Council No. 35; National Association of Government Employees (NAGE); and Office & Professional Employees International Union Local 1421.

Many of Day's campaign contributions—89, to be precise—came from attorneys with Mintz Levin, where Day works.

Spadafora received three campaign contributions from PACs and organizations—from Concerned Citizens CTTEE PAC, The PAC for Better Government and Stoneham REPTC.

Notable contributors to Spadafora's campaign include Malden Mayor Richard Howard ($500) and former Melrose Mayor Dick Lyons ($100).