Democrats can raise money in Tuscaloosa, too.

[Syrinx]

I realize this is small potatoes. I'm posting it mainly because I like the headline.

TUSCALOOSA | Local Republicans, who raised about $40,000 at their annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner here last week featuring keynoter Trent Lott, apparently aren't the only ones who can raise big bucks in Tuscaloosa.

Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom Jr. was the guest at a reception at the University Club Thursday afternoon raising money for his Farm to Market Political Action Committee designed to funnel money mostly to like-minded Democrats running for the Alabama Legislature in two years. And according to Peck Fox, long-time Folsom aide and the director of the PAC, as much as $20,000 was given or pledged to the organization by the 50 or so people who dropped by the two hour reception.

That's only about half of what the Tuscaloosa County Republican Party raised from more than 400 people who attended their third annual soiree, but then again, the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is a once-a-year enterprise.

Fox said money in his PAC can not be used by Folsom, who is considering running for governor in 2010, because campaign finance laws do not allow you to raise such funds for a personal campaign this early. But if Folsom has similar success with other meet-and-greets across the state over the next few months, he will have a big chunk of change to pass around to incumbent and would-be lawmakers. And in case you haven't noticed, money can buy you a lot of friends and political clout for whatever endeavor you might undertake.

http://politibits.tuscaloosanews.com/default.asp?item=2252393