Reid expects to raise $25M for next year

LAS VEGAS, July 15 (UPI) -- Campaign staff for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid say the Nevada Democrat expects to raise $25 million for his re-election bid in 2010.

The campaign reported Wednesday Reid raised $3.25 million in the April-June period and has $7.3 million in the kitty, USA Today reported. In 2004, Reid raised and spent about $7 million.

His campaign staff predicted Tuesday he would have more than three times that amount by next November, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

David Damore, who teaches political science at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal Reid hopes to intimidate anyone who might consider running against him.

"Who wants to challenge someone who has $25 million? So far, it seems to be working," he said.

Nevada's population is 2.6 million, so $25 million would allow Reid to spend $10 for every man, woman and child in the state.

While Reid, 69, has been elected to four terms in the Senate and is now seeking a fifth, Damore said he is not "hugely popular." His recent poll numbers show tepid support.

"But he's a good politician: He knows how to create the context to get elected," Damore said.