Coyle’s cash: Congressional hopeful raising money briskly

CapitolBeatOK Staff Report

Published: 15-Jul-2010

U.S. Congressional candidate Billy Coyle of Oklahoma City, in a press release sent to CapitolBeatOK Thursday evening (July 15), said his campaign finance reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission should encourage fellow Democrats that he can win the Fifth District seat this November.

Coyle, an Oklahoma City attorney, is seeking the U.S. House seat that Mary Fallin, a Republican, has vacated to run for governor. Coyle’s campaign says he has raised money at a faster pace than any previous Democratic Fifth District congressional candidate during the primary election season.

“The amount I’ve raised is from voters in the district who realize that a Democrat can win this race,” Coyle said. “I haven’t put a penny of my own money into this race, and I haven’t taken any money from political action committees.”

In an interview when he filed for the seat last month, Coyle told CapitolBeatOK that although no Democrat has won the seat since the 1974 election, “There’s no incumbent. You look at the Republicans, and I’m just as well-known as any of the Republicans running. I think people don’t care this year about whether it’s a Republican or a Democrat. They want to vote on the person.” 

In that interview, he challenged fellow Democrats to “step up and given money” – and many have responded.

Coyle’s election report shows that of the $105,000 he received, he has spent $66,402.94 so far, and has over $38,000 cash on hand. “With the pace that I have been raising donations, I know that I can win the election in November,” Coyle said. Coyle began his campaign in April.

Coyle faces emeritus Professor Tom Guild in the July 27 primary. The winner of that election will face the winning candidate among seven Republicans seeking to replace Rep. Fallin. 

Coyle says his legislative priorities are bringing jobs back to America, implementing a national energy plan that utilizes Oklahoma’s energy resources, and giving veterans the services they deserve.

Note: Editor Patrick B. McGuigan contributed to this report.