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DFL maintains upper hand in campaign fundraising [1]
['Michelle Griffith', 'More From Author', '- September']
Date: 2022-09-28
Democrats maintain a fundraising advantage going into the final stretch of the fall campaign, according to a new batch of campaign finance reports released Wednesday.
Gov. Tim Walz, who has crushed his GOP opponent Scott Jensen in fundraising this year, is still out-raising the Chaska physician and former state senator. Walz reported over $3.2 million cash on hand to Jensen’s $864,000. Jensen received a big boost from a state program that gives money to candidates if they abide by spending limits. Walz passed on the subsidy, but Jensen got $584,000.
Jensen is being targeted by the the DFL-aligned Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which has spent nearly $9 million on advertising against Jensen, with a focus on his pledge to ban abortion.
Attorney General Keith Ellison has $922,000 cash on hand, while his Republican opponent Jim Schultz has $320,000. Schultz got a symbolic lift Wednesday, however, when the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49 announced their support of the former investment lawyer.
DFL Secretary of State Steve Simon is far out-raising Republican Kim Crockett, with over $966,000 cash on hand compared to Crockett’s $118,000.
Candidates running for state Legislature did not have a campaign finance filing deadline Wednesday, but caucus political committees and outside groups reported big sums in the contest for control of the State Capitol.
The stakes are high: All 201 legislative seats are up. Republicans have a narrow majority in the state Senate, while Democrats have a tenuous hold on the House. This is the first election following redistricting and a wave of retirements, which means the election battle comprises dozens of open seats and some incumbents having to introduce themselves to an entirely new set of voters.
Control of the Legislature will come with a big prize: Setting the two-year budget of $55 billion or more when lawmakers convene in January.
Democrats have the fundraising upper hand going into the home stretch of the legislative battle.
The House DFL caucus has about $2 million cash on hand compared to the Republicans’ $984,000. In the Senate, the Republican caucus has over $1.9 million on hand while Democrats have $2.7 million.
But outside groups — representing business, labor and wealthy individuals — are also spending heavily. Spending in a half dozen state Senate races and 10 state House races has already topped six figures, according to Minnesota Public Radio reporter Brian Bakst.
Familiar names are cutting big checks again this year. Philanthropist Alida Rockefeller Messinger, who was married to former Gov. Mark Dayton, has donated more than $1.6 million to various DFL campaigns and committees. Stanley Hubbard, CEO and chairman of Hubbard Broadcasting, which owns KSTP, has donated $98,500 to various Republican campaigns and groups this year.
There is one Republican statewide candidate who has outraised his opponent, but the money hasn’t come from supporters. GOP candidate for state auditor Ryan Wilson is the sole Republican in a statewide race with more cash on hand than his opponent. Wilson reported over $162,000 cash in hand, while State Auditor Julie Blaha recorded about $74,000.
His biggest donor: Ryan Wilson.
The Legislative and statewide candidates have one more filing date on Oct. 31, just days before the election.
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[1] Url:
https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/09/28/dfl-maintains-upper-hand-in-campaign-fundraising/
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