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LaRocco funds grow for U.S. Senate run

John Miller Associated Press

BOISE – Larry LaRocco, a former Democratic U.S. House member running for the Senate in 2008, said Monday he’s raised nearly $80,000 since April for his bid to return to Washington, D.C.

LaRocco, 60, who served two terms in Congress from 1991 to 1994, raised just over $79,000 from 301 contributors. LaRocco said he’s compiled the information for a Federal Election Commission quarterly report for the period ended June 30. It must be filed by July 15, according to federal rules.

LaRocco remains the lone officially declared candidate for the 2008 race for the Senate seat currently held by Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who is completing his third term. Craig told the Associated Press he still hasn’t decided if he’ll run again.

“There’s a lot of enthusiasm for my race – and for my candidacy. I have over 300 contributors for the campaign,” LaRocco told the AP. “This is an early indication of a lot of momentum.”

LaRocco was ousted from Congress by Republican Helen Chenoweth in 1994. He was Idaho’s last Democratic congressman.

According to LaRocco, he raised $79,026 in the three months ending June 30. Out-of-state giving totaled $54,935, while contributions from Idaho residents were $24,091.

Craig, 61, a champion of immigration reform who last week lost a fight in the Senate to keep alive a President Bush-backed package that included a new guest-worker program, said he’s still weighing his options. The immigration bill’s failure won’t have any bearing on his decision, Craig said.

Craig, who served in the U.S. House until 1990, said he’s still on track to announce whether he’ll run again by “late summer or early fall.” In Craig’s last quarterly financial disclosure through March 30, he had $379,000 in cash, including $126,000 raised in the previous three months, according to FEC records.

LaRocco, a financial manager and lobbyist, unsuccessfully challenged Craig in 1982 for a House seat.

If Craig doesn’t run, LaRocco could face another old rival: Lt. Gov. Jim Risch. Risch, 64, has said he’ll likely run for Senate if Craig withdraws. Risch beat LaRocco in November 2006 in the race for lieutenant governor.