Lunsford passes 'millionaires amendement' threshold

U.S. Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford, a Louisville Democrat and business owner, has kicked in more than $1 million of his own money in addition to $280,000 in contributions from others, the campaign says.

Lunsford's campaign says $545,000 that the candidate put into the race will show up on the campaign finance report that's due next week to the Federal Election Commission. Lunsford, who has been running TV ads since last Friday, added another $470,000 of his own money since March 31, the campaign's statement says.

In addition, Lunsford is expecting another $900,000 in pledged donations.

About $235,000 of the $280,000 Lunsford raised came in a two-week period, said spokeswoman Allison Haley. "Nearly 80 percent of the individuals who contributed live in Kentucky and the campaign raised over $45,000 in online contributions in the last week of March," Lunsford's campaign statement says.

The $800,000 that Lunsford's first quarter report will show is less than the $1 million his top rival in the May 20 Democratic primary, Greg Fischer, says he will report to the FEC.

Fischer, last weekend, released his campaign figures, saying he had raised about $500,000 from others and kicked in $500,000 of his own money.

By putting in $1 million of his own money, Lunsford passed a key first threshold of the so-called millionaire's amendment, which was part of the 2002 federal campaign finance reforms.

That wouldn't likely affect Fischer at this point, because Fischer has invested a half-million of his own money.

But pumping in more than $559,000 of his personal funds could allow the other five Democrats vying for the Democratic nomination to collect up to $6,900 from individual donors, as opposed to the current maximum of $2,300.

- Ryan Alessi