Washington – Lawmakers have creative ways of holding fundraisers that include seats at sporting events and Broadway plays, but Sen. Richard Blumenthal has stepped up that innovation, raffling off a lunch with himself in Washington, D.C.

For as little as a $5 donation, campaign contributors can vie for a chance to fly to Washington, D.C., to have lunch with Blumenthal, who is running for re-election this year. To increase that jackpot, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, a champion of the progressive movement, also will attend the lunch.

"We've reserved an extra seat at the table when these two progressive champions get together to discuss the country's most pressing issues," says an e-mail solicitation from "Team Blumenthal."

According to the solicitation, all donors to the campaign will automatically be entered in the raffle. It's open to all legal residents of the United States, 18 years and older, but not federal contractors. The deadline to enter the raffle is midnight on Saturday.

Blumenthal is being challenged by state Rep. Dan Carter, a Republican. Another Republican, August Wolf, is trying to challenge Carter in a party primary by collecting more than 8,000 signatures on a petition.

Ana Radelat is a reporter for The Connecticut Mirror (www.ctmirror.org). Copyright 2015 © The Connecticut Mirror.

aradelat@ctmirror.org