We liberals are supposed to favor social equity. We don’t like the rising level of income inequality between America’s rich and poor. It’s unjust, it causes suffering, and it hamstrings our economy by throwing supply and demand fundamentally out of whack.

But this week’s campaign finance reports, while generally bearing good tidings for liberals and bad news for conservatives, revealed a massive income gap between Democratic haves and have-nots. And to make the situation even worse, the haves are highly unlikely to need their massive (and growing) warchests, while there are a couple of estimable have-nots who could use a helping hand.

The known “have” is Governor Shumlin, who’s rolling in dough while his opponent Randy Brock is spending more than he takes in. The presumed “haves” are Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch; at last report, they had huge bankrolls and they face opponents who are unknown and unfunded.

The worthy “have-nots” are Doug Hoffer and Cassandra Gekas.  

Hoffer is an eminently qualified candidate for Auditor who has the backing of the Dems and the Progs. But he’s fallen behind Republican Vince Illuzzi in the money race. This should be a no-brainer for the Dems; Hoffer actually wants to be Auditor and would be a really good one (plus he had the guts to take on Tom Salmon in 2010, a thoroughly commendable effort), while Illuzzi settled on the Auditor’s race at the last minute, apparently seeing it as his best shot at a steady paycheck. Hoffer should be getting more support from Vermont’s liberal donor class.

With Gekas, I can understand the reluctance to donate. She’s a political unknown challenging the most popular Republican in the state, Lt-Gov Phil Scott. Still, she was apparently recruited by Shumlin or his people, and the Dems ought to get behind her in tangible ways. If they don’t, they will have urged a talented young person to go out on a limb, and then left her to fend for herself.

In a filing-day post, I jokingly suggested that Shumlin should let Gekas rummage around in his sofa cushions for loose change. But really, it doesn’t look like the Governor will need most of that big pile of cash. Nor will Sanders or Welch. So why not turn back a few checks, and tell your donors to support Hoffer and/or Gekas instead?

It’d provide a measure of social justice on the Democratic ticket, which we supposedly believe in. It’d make for a stronger ticket in November. And it’d make for a stronger Democratic government in the next biennium.