Ellsworth’s Fundraising Jumpstart

Good news today:

Vanderburgh County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth has raised nearly $140,000 in the month since he announced he will challenge Republican U.S. Rep. John Hostettler next year.

This puts Ellsworth in a very strong position, well ahead of Hostettler’s last 5 challengers at this point.

Meanwhile, Ellsworth met with Knox County Democrats in Vincennes.

“I’m pretty well known in Evansville, and people there are pretty satisfied with the job I’ve done,” said Ellsworth, who has been sheriff since 1998. “But my goal tonight is to take my message further.”

[…]

Ellsworth said he would be putting a lot of miles on his truck in order to bring his message of listening to and representing the interests of his constituents in the 18 counties that make up the sprawling district.

[Update, 7/12 9:32am:]
The Evansville Courier & Press had this to add today:

[Ellsworth’s] campaign says it will list 170 individual contributions, with an average donation of nearly $675. He also has accepted $14,000 in Political Action Committee funds, as well as $9,700 from the Democratic Party, other candidates’ funds and other local committees.

This doesn’t mean anything yet, since Hostettler never seems to raise much in the way of funds — but as of his last filingwith the FEC (through 6/30), Hostettler had raised only $11,000 and had only $994 cash on hand.