ActBlue

U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Boston) campaigning in Framingham earlier this year: Politicker Photo

 U.S. Sen. John Kerry reported a war chest of over $5.3 million dollars at the end of the year's 3rd Quarter, a decrease of over $2 million from where he started the quarter, according to his Federal Election Commission report.

Half of that decrease, however, came from a $1 million contribution to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The Boston Democrat, who is currently seeking his fifth term in the U.S. Senate against Republican challenger Jeff Beatty, raked in nearly $131,000 for the quarter.  Between his contribution to the DSCC, another $10,500 given to the Massachusetts Democratic Party and several other large expenditures for his campaign, Kerry spent $2.3 million.

Losing a home to fire takes a toll on nearly every aspect of one's life. When a high profile campaign for the U.S. House is part of that life, the price gets distributed on to thousands more people, whether they are active campaign volunteers, or merely constituents who passively miss out on normal campaigning. Such was the case last week when 8th District Democrat Darcy Burner lost her home to fire.

Fortunately for Burner many of her constituents, along with well-wishers across the country, have banded together to help ease the campaign burdens she will undoubtedly face in the coming weeks as she and her family move forward with their post-fire lives. The campaigns financial burdens, at least.

Spurred on by calls from bloggers across the country, Burner has raised over $110,000 from more than 2,000 contributors on the fundraising site ActBlue since last Tuesday's fire.

Darcy BurnerDarcy Burner (D-Carnation) has made a habit of using U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert's big name fundraising events as a rally cry in her bid to unseat Reichert in the 8th District.

Last August, Burner made a youtube video criticizing Reichert's GOP ties and set up an online ActBlue account to call attention to a fundraising visit President Bush made to the 8th District on Reichert's behalf, and then did the same thing this past February when first lady Laura Bush came to town. The Democrat has used these occasions to bring in more than $200,000 to her campaign.

That trend continues today.