Bush hug boosts Democrat opponent's fundraising

Associated PressSAN ANTONIO -

A photograph of President Bush cupping the face of U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has prompted a surge in online donations to one of Cuellar's rivals in next month's Democratic primary election.
Former U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, who hopes to regain the District 28 seat he lost to Cuellar two years ago, received nearly $12,000 in campaign donations Thursday.

The 263 online donations were made within hours of a call to action by two left-leaning bloggers, the San Antonio Express-News reported in its Friday editions. ActBlue, an online clearinghouse for Democratic fundraising, tallied the donations.

The photograph was taken at this week's State of the Union address and shows Bush holding a smiling Cuellar's head between his hands. Cuellar was standing at the doorway to the House chamber where Bush entered on the Republican side of the aisle.

Oscar Sanchez, a spokesman for the Rodriguez campaign, said the photo struck a nerve with Democrats.

"It really shows that Democrats want a real Democrat in Congress," Sanchez said.

Some Democrats have criticized Cuellar for being too close to Republicans. He supported Bush over Al Gore in the 2000 election and served as Texas Secretary of State under Republican Gov. Rick Perry. In Congress, he has cast a number of votes with Republicans to the chagrin of some in the Democratic leadership.

Cuellar spokesman Colin Strother dismissed the reaction to the photograph as a "one-day story."

"There's a jeering section that stands up on Ciro's behalf whenever Henry so much as looks at a Republican," Strother said.

Cuellar, of Laredo, represents a traditionally Democratic district that stretches from San Marcos to the Mexican border. In addition to Rodriguez, he faces a March 7 primary challenge from Victor Morales, a high school teacher from Crandall.

Cuellar and Rodriguez had been friends before the 2004 race, with Rodriguez campaigning on Cuellar's behalf when Cuellar sought to unseat Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-San Antonio, in 2002. Cuellar defeated Rodriguez in the bitterly contested 2004 Democratic primary in which an apparent Rodriguez victory was reversed after recounts of ballots.

The incumbent leads in fundraising. Cuellar begins the year with $292,833 in cash on hand, compared to more than $43,000 for Rodriguez and roughly $11,000 available to Morales, according to campaign finance reports released by the candidates.

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