Leveraging his 37-year incumbency and a healthy fundraising operation, Democratic Senate nominee Edward J. Markey outspent Republican rival Gabriel E. Gomez by nearly $4 million in a nine-week period heading into the final stretch of their special election.
Markey claimed $4.6 million in his account on April 10, three weeks before winning the Democratic primary, according to Federal Election Commission records. Between that date and June 5, Markey took in $2.9 million in contributions, and spent $5.9 million, finishing the reporting period with $2.3 million.
By contrast, Gomez headed into the final days of the GOP primary with just shy of $500,000 on hand, and collected $1.7 million in the interceding weeks, along with a $300,000 loan from himself. Gomez spent over $1.6 million. On June 5, he posted a $997,121 balance.
Markey took in just under $300,000 from political action committees. Gomez got $170,000 from PACs.
Markey’s heavy cash advantage is emblematic of the built-in deficits Gomez faces. Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans in Massachusetts, and boast a superior voter-turnout operation. Augmented by the financial edge, Markey heads into the final days before the June 25 advantage with enviable infrastructure advantages.
Jim O’Sullivan can be reached at james.osullivan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @josreports.
