The race for Congress is starting to form as candidates report their third quarter fundraising totals. We recently wrote that Kansas State Representative Raj Goyle has raised an impressive $400,000. Now comes word that physician Ami Bera, who is running to unseat Republican Dan Lungren in California, has outraised the incumbent for the second consecutive quarter, $335, 443 to $192,000. 

Bera, a political newcomer and the former chief medical officer for Sacramento County, said his message is appealing to hundreds of people who have donated money.

"We're talking to the voters about improving our schools, making health insurance more affordable, and growing our economy to create jobs," he said.

Before he can face Lungren, Bera must win a primary challenge in June against SacramentoMunicipal Utility District Director Bill Slaton. Slaton said he has raised $253,000, including $175,000 of his personal money. He said he ended the quarter with $398,500 in cash on hand.

A third Democrat, Gary Davis, dropped out of the race last week and announced plans to seek another term on the Elk Grove City Council.

After Lungren won last year with less than 50 percent of the vote, both political parties are targeting the race. While Republicans still outnumber Democrats by 2 percentage points, PresidentBarack Obama carried the district, which includes Sacramento suburbs and parts of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras and Solano counties.

Lungren said Bera and Slaton need to do well in fundraising because "they're going to be spending a lot of money against one another" to win the Democratic nomination.

And he said the political environment should be better for Republicans in 2010 than it was in 2008.

"Things are looking up for the Republicans, all across the country, in the state of California, in our area," Lungren said.

The congressman said he's getting positive feedback from constituents at town-hall meetings and in one-on-one conversations. He said the district's voters are increasingly concerned about spending and the direction of the federal government.

Slaton said he plans to remain in the race. "We're rolling. I have to tell you that we're going to raise the money necessary to win," he said.

Bera, whose parents emigrated to the United States from India more than 50 years ago, attracted much attention in July when he reported raising nearly $300,000 in the second quarter of the year. He was one of only four Democratic challengers to out-raise a Republican incumbent.

He said it will take about $3 million for him to get his message out.

Lungren said the best thing he can do to win re-election is to stay focused on his work inWashington.

"I figure if I do my job properly, that's the best thing I can possibly do for whatever comes along."

It's nice to see Bera continuing to build momentum. He even leads Lungren in the cash on hand numbers $586,000 to $442,000

Photo courtesy of Randy Bayne.