How is fundraising going in the treasurer's race?

Campaign finance reports from both Republican nominee Bill Daughtridge and Democrat Janet Cowell are in from the second quarter.

Here's a breakdown of the numbers:

Fundraising: Since the beginning of their campaigns, Daughtridge has raised $244,348 while Cowell has raised $663,403, more than two and a half times as much. Neither has loaned or given their campaign cash. Advantage: Cowell.  

Cash on Hand: At the end of the second quarter, Daughtridge had $74,152 on hand, while Cowell had $197,133, again more than two and a half times as much. Cowell again has the advantage, although neither has enough for a serious TV campaign.

Spending: Daughtridge spent $44,788 in the second quarter, while Cowell spent $71,890. She is spending more on campaign staffers and had an $18,000 TV ad buy in the primary, but sometimes you have to spend money to make it.

Unlike the race for governor and Senate, this one will not be fought primarily on television, if only for the fact that neither candidate has enough cash to do it.

That means a lot of trench warfare: Mailers, campaign appearances and a strong campaign machine.

As a state senator and a former Raleigh City Councilwoman, Cowell has a good base of supporters and the trappings of a good campaign. So far, she's bringing in enough money to keep it humming, giving her a strong advantage heading into the fall.

Bill Daughtridge received $244,348 in contributions by the end of June.

The Republican nominee for state treasurer received $48,703 in the second quarter of the year, according to his most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included Cary attorney Brent Barringer, Rocky Mount businessman Nick Boddie, Raleigh Realtor Carolyn Grant, Greenville businessman Julian White Rawl, Golden Corral President Billy Sewell and N.C. Museum of Art Director Larry Wheeler.

He also received money from the N.C. Utility Contractors PAC and the N.C. Petroleum and Convenience Marketers PAC.

At the same time, he spent $44,788, leaving him with $74,152 in cash on hand.

Janet Cowell received $663,403 in contributions by the end of June.

The Democratic nominee for state treasurer received $248,162 in contributions during the second quarter of the year, according to her most recent campaign finance report.

Major donors included N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences executive director Elizabeth Bennett, investment manager Leah Bergman, financial consultant Eugene Cahalan, Crandall Bowles, SAS co-founder John Sall and real estate developer Smedes York.

She also received donations from political action committees for the United Food and Commercial Workers union, UNITE HERE, the AFL-CIO, EMILY's List and the Conservation Council of North Carolina.

She also spent $71,890, leaving her with $197,133 in cash on hand. 

State Rep. Bill Daughtridge carries a life-sized cardboard photograph of himself around the General Assembly. The Rocky Mount Republican is running for state treasurer and will not return. Sending him off today, his colleagues joked that they would keep the two-dimensional Daughtridge as a memento. (Photo by Chris Seward)

Janet Cowell says she raised more than $247,000 in the second quarter.

The Democratic candidate for state treasurer said she has now raised more than $660,000 this election cycle, leaving her with $200,000 in cash on hand for the fall election.

"We are working hard to reach out to people across North Carolina to let them know that as, Treasurer I’ll work to create jobs, make college more affordable, and invest in North Carolina’s future," Cowell said in a statement. 

In addition, her campaign said that 91 percent of her contributors are from North Carolina and 78 percent gave less than $1,000.

A spokesman for the campaign said that she was counting April 20 to June 30 as the second quarter.  

Bill Daughtridge apparently does his good turn daily.

The Republican nominee for state treasurer was recognized at an annual meeting of the Boy Scouts of America in San Diego recently.

Daughtridge, who earned his Eagle Scout in Rocky Mount's Troop 11, received the Silver Antelope Award.

The award is given to registered Scouters for "outstanding service to youth," according to the organization. He was the only North Carolinian to receive the award this year.

"Bill is a man of great integrity who exemplifies the values of the Boy Scouts of America in every way," wrote restaurateur Nick Boddie in a letter recommending Daughtridge for the award.

Daughtridge's son, Gray, is also an Eagle Scout. 

The Insider has another explanation of state Sen. Walter Dalton's spending bills.

The N.C. Republican Party's recently compared Dalton's $76 million in requested appropriations to his Republican rival for lieutenant governor, former Sen. Robert Pittenger, who requested just $1.9 million.

The Republican chairwoman said it showed a clear contrast on the issue of fiscal responsibility. The Insider, an e-mail newsletter owned by the N&O, noted that Dalton is a longtime senator who advises the state budget.

"Some might say the totals reflect another stark contrast: the difference in the two men's power," notes the e-mail newsletter's afternoon report.

Sen. Janet Cowell says she does not expect every one of her spending bills to be approved.

The Raleigh Democrat, who is running for state treasurer, is sponsoring and cosponsoring bills totaling $76 million for the current budget. 

She said that signing onto an appropriations bill is a way for a legislator to signal that she thinks it is an important issue, but in tight fiscal years such as this one she expects only a few will make it into the final budget.

"When I sign onto a bill, I'm supporting the concept and saying that under ideal circumstances this would be a good idea," she said. "The debate will happen on all of these, but at least you've got some different approaches and ideas out there." 

Cowell does not have high hopes for the one bill she is sponsoring, which would provide $2.1 million for the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences to expand an outdoor educational facility near the RBC Center in Raleigh. A similar bill did not make it into the 2006 budget either.

She said that Senate leader Marc Basnight is "intrigued" by the project because of the state's current focus on science education, but Gov. Mike Easley did not include it in his proposed budget.

"It's obviously a harder fight if the governor doesn't put it in there," she said. 

Rep. Bill Daughtridge is seeking nearly $19 million in state spending.

The Republican nominee for state treasurer has cosponsored six bills seeking appropriations in the upcoming state budget.

Among the larger appropriations bills he is cosponsoring: $6 million for the Communities in Schools dropout prevention program, $5.6 million for the N.C. Museum of Art, $3.2 million for a biotechnology research campus at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, $2 million for the N.C. Arts Council and $2 million for a business incubator for homeland security and national defense.

He also cosponsored a bill for $100,000 to study the state Department of Public Instruction.

Daughtridge's Democratic opponent, state Sen. Janet Cowell, has sponsored and cosponsored bills seeking $76 million in appropriations. 

Both Daughtridge and Cowell are cosponsors on the dropout prevention program, the N.C. Museum of Art projects and the N.C. Arts Council funding, which would total $13.7 million in spending.

Sen. Janet Cowell is seeking nearly $76 million in state spending.

The Democratic nominee for state treasurer has sponsored one bill and co-sponsored 24 bills seeking appropriations in the upcoming state budget.

Cowell is the primary sponsor on a bill to give $2.1 million to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences for an environmental education facility at the Prairie Ridge Ecostation.

Among the larger appropriations bills she is cosponsoring: $25 million for a school construction pilot program, $6 million for the Communities in Schools programs on dropout prevention, $5.8 million for the Center for Bioenergy Technologies, $5.6 million for the N.C. Museum of Art, $5.6 million for dropout prevention, $5 million for a strategic plan on biofuels, $5 million for public libraries.

Other large appropriations she is cosponsoring: $4 million for a statewide study on aging, $2 million for the N.C. Arts Council, $1.6 million for a pilot program on dropout prevention in Durham and Vance counties, $1.5 million for a pilot program on adult protective services, $1.4 million for water resource management, $1.2 million for teen pregnancy prevention and $1.2 million for Wake Tech Community College.

She is also cosponsoring bills less than $1 million: Support for caregivers of people with dementia, a statewide literacy program, Kids Voting, treatment of autistic children, services for the developmentally disabled, a legal mediation network, a youth golfing program and the African-American Heritage Commission.

In addition, she is cosponsoring a bill that would give state employees a 7 percent raise.

Update: Her Republican opponent, Rep. Bill Daughtridge, is seeking $19 million in spending.