Republican Sen. John McCain will take his presidential bid to the symbolic heart of liberal America next Monday, making a stop in San Francisco's swank Fairmont Hotel for a fundraiser.
The ticket? Up to $100,000 per person.
The event is at least McCain's third fundraising pit stop in the city. Back on the last day in January - only days before the state's presidential primary, which he won resoundingly - McCain hosted a fundraiser at the Four Seasons hotel.
Tickets were $1,000 per person, with hosts asked to raise $10,000.
He returned in late March for evening event at San Francisco's Ritz-Carlton, where tickets went for $2,300 - the maximum allowable donation for an individual.
But with the nomination sealed, times - and prices - have changed.
Those who wish to be "chairs" of next Monday's fundraiser must vow to raise $100,000. That comes with access to a private reception and a photo with the Arizona senator, head table seating at dinner and membership on the "California Victory Advisory Team."
A co-chair must give or raise $43,100 to the McCain effort. That comes with access to the private reception with a photo, two tickets to the dinner with priority seating and membership on the "California Victory Executive Team."
That strange sum of $41,300 is an outgrowth of the nation's complex set of campaign finance rules.
The first $2,300 goes directly to the McCain campaign, the next $2,300 goes to his legal fund, the next $10,000 to the California Republican Party's federal account and the last $28,500 to the Republican National Committee.
Whew.
A vice-chair of the San Francisco fundraiser must give $25,000 (same perks as co-chair minus "priority seating" at dinner). And a deputy chair must give $15,000 (that's for one dinner ticket and no advisory team membership).
It costs $10,000 per couple to attend the reception and take one photo and is $2,300 for an individual.
Those under 35 get a price break - only $1,000 to attend.
In a Field Poll released last week, McCain trails the Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, by 24 points in California.
Photo Credit: Brian Baer, Sacramento Bee, from May 2008 appearance in Union City, CA.
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