As a YouTube audio recording echoed across the Bluegrass earlier this month, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo explained that he missed a scheduled appearance with Governor Steve Beshear because of difficulties returning from a campaign fundraiser in Chicago.

But, Mongiardo's campaign is now criticizing the Jack Conway campaign for the amount of out-of-state campaign cash it raised in the most recent quarter.

Though Attorney General Jack Conway leads all Senate candidates in total fundraising, Mongiardo spokesman Kim Geveden says in the category of donations from inside the Commonwealth, Mongiardo outraised Conway by $83,000 (not counting Conway's $125,000 loan to his own campaign) in the third quarter of 2009.

It's some serious number crunching in the news release:

Mongiardo Raises $83K More than Conway in KY
More than 34% of Conway's Money from Out-of-State
Mongiardo has 57% More Contributors
Mongiardo raises 4x as much as Conway from small dollar contributors

FRANKFORT---Campaign finance reports filed last week with the Federal Election Commission reveal that Lt. Governor and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Daniel Mongiardo outraised Attorney General Jack Conway in Kentucky, with Mongiardo raising almost $83,000 more from Kentucky contributors than Conway. According to the FEC reports, Mongiardo raised $444,006 (86%) from Kentucky contributors, while Conway raised $361,123 (66%) from Kentucky and $185,118 (34%) from out of state. (These numbers exclude $125,000 Conway loaned his campaign.)

Mongiardo also raised almost four times as much from small dollar contributors (giving less than $200) --- receiving $56,534 in small contributions, while Conway received $15,402. In addition, the reports showed that Mongiardo had almost 57% more itemized contributors, with Mongiardo having 669 itemized contributors, while Conway only had 427. Mongiardo reported 718 unitemized contributors bringing his total number to 1,387. Conway has refused to disclose his number of unitemized contributors.

Conway's out-of-state fundraising included $41,000 in Texas, $30,000 from New York, and almost $17,000 from California.

The 3rd quarter was Mongiardo's best fundraising quarter having raised $514,404, an increase of 70% from the previous quarter while Conway's loaned his campaign $125,000 to inflate his fundraising, which dropped 60% from the 2nd quarter.

"The financial reports show that Daniel Mongiardo raised substantially more money than Jack Conway in Kentucky, has almost four times the money from small dollar contributors, and has at least 57% more individual contributors than Conway. Daniel Mongiardo's campaign is about fighting for jobs, economic growth, and affordable healthcare for Kentucky families. It's a campaign based on support from Kentuckians--not Texas, Hollywood, and Wall Street interests. Daniel is going to work hard every day to be a Senator who puts Kentucky families first," said Kim Geveden, campaign spokesman for Mongiardo.

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