Capitol View: February 1, 2010 Archive

Kelley raised $167k in 2009

Posted at 8:40 AM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Steve Kelley says his campaign for governor raised $167,249 from donors in 2009. The campaign reports having about $40,000 left in the bank. Kelley's campaign reported raising $187,249 in 2009 but his campaign manager, Carrie Lucking reports that Kelley loaned his campaign $16,400 and made an in-kind contribution of roughly $3,500. Here's the release from Kelley's campaign:

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (February 1, 2010)--Steve Kelley, candidate for Minnesota Governor, announced today that his campaign raised $187,249.26 in 2009 from over 1,200 Minnesota donors.

"I'm proud that Minnesotans are willing to make a financial commitment to transforming Minnesota into a better home," Kelley said. "It's exciting that our campaign has brought in new contributors and is not reliant on lobbyists and PAC's."

Highlights of Kelley's financial report:

· Kelley raised over $185,000 from over 1,200 Minnesota donors in 2009

· Almost half of Kelley's funds were raised in the last quarter of 2009 (45%)

· Kelley finished the year with an estimated over $40,000 cash on hand

· 1% of Kelley's contributions came from PACs

· 5% or less of Kelley's contributions came from lobbyists

Carrie Lucking, Kelley's campaign manager noted, "We still have capacity to grow. To date, we've raised over $235,000. We aren't reliant on big money. We're a campaign funded by everyday Minnesotans." She added, "I'm also proud of our final quarter and January totals because we added a significant number of new supporters and contributors. It's a fantastic springboard for the endorsement."

Gaertner raised $110,000 in 2009

Posted at 8:56 AM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Susan Gaertner says her campaign for governor raised $110,000 in 2009. She didn't specify how much she has in the bank. I'm checking on cash on hand and candidate contributions and will post when I get the info.

Here's the release:

In her 2009 campaign finance report filed today, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner reported raising $110,650 for 2009 and a total of over $200,000 from over one thousand individuals since she began her campaign for governor.

Gaertner, who announced last month that she plans to run in the DFL primary, said that among her 2009 contributors were four lobbyists gave a total of $1550.00.

"People often ask me what distinguishes my campaign from others. Besides the fact that I haven't been part of the disarray at the capitol, this campaign finance report makes it pretty clear that I am not beholden to special interest and lobbyists. In this extremely dysfunctional political environment, I think we need a governor that can lead on behalf of the hard working Minnesotans who are in tough times. I will be that leader."

Fundraising cheat sheet

Posted at 9:02 AM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Here's a handy dandy updated cheat sheet of where the candidates stand in the 2009 fundraising race. Some of the candidates haven't released their full figures. Others didn't release any at all. The reports are due today.

Matt Entenza (Democrat) - raised a total of $300,000 from contributors in 2009. He also made a $10,000 contribution to the campaign and loaned the campaign $70,000. The campaign would not release his cash on hand totals.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher (Democrat) - raised a total of $254,000 from contributors in 2009. She made a direct contribution of $250 to her campaign. She has $81,000 left in the bank.

Paul Thissen (Democrat) - raised a total of $233,000 from contributors in 2009. He also loaned his campaign $20,000. He has $85,000 left in the bank.

Marty Seifert (GOP) - raised a total of $222,000 from contributors in 2009. He also loaned his campaign $20,000 and transferred $20,000 from his now defunct MN House campaign. He has $133,000 left in the bank.

Tom Bakk (Democrat) - raised a total of $208,682 in 2009 and has 137,830 cash on hand at end of '09. He did not loan his campaign any money nor contribute to his campaign.

Steve Kelley (Democrat) - The campaign raised $167,249 from donors in 2009. The campaign reports having about $40,000 left in the bank. Kelley's campaign reported raising $187,249 in 2009 but his campaign manager, Carrie Lucking reports that Kelley loaned his campaign $16,400 and made an in-kind contribution of roughly $3,500.

R.T. Rybak (Democrat) - raised a total of $138,000 in 2009. He has $25,000 left in the bank. Rybak also reports loaning his campaign $10,000 which is not included in these fundraising totals.

Tom Rukavina (Democrat) - raised a total of $135,000 in 2009. He has $60,000 left in the bank.

Susan Gaertner (Democrat) - reports raising $110,000 for her campaign in 2009. She has $4,346 on hand and made an in-kind contribution of $900. She didn't specify cash on hand or if she gave/loaned campaign any money.

John Marty (Democrat) - reports raising $105,642 in 2009. He has $18,909 on hand.

Tom Emmer (GOP) - raised a total of roughly $105,000 from contributors in 2009. His spokesman said he loaned the campaign and gave in-kind contributions that amount to roughly $10,000. The campaign didn't release the cash on hand totals.

David Hann (GOP) - raised roughly $35,000 and has $8,254 left in the bank.

Freedom Club paid Palin $25,000

Posted at 10:17 AM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2008: MN Legislature, Campaign 2010, Pawlenty travel, Tim Pawlenty

The Freedom Club PAC paid Sarah Palin $25,000 to host a fundraiser for the conservative group in December. The group reported the appearance fee in campaign finance reports that are due today.

Palin hosted a private fundraiser for a group of roughly 70 Freedom Club members on December 7th. She hosted the fundraiser after she signed her book, Going Rogue, at the Mall of America.

The Freedom Club PAC helps elect Republicans to the Minnesota House. Midge Dean, who organized the fundraiser for the group, declined to say how much they paid Palin when the fundraising invitations went out.

The former Alaska governor and running mate to John McCain in 2008 has been requesting upwards of $100,000 for appearances. The Freedom Club paid Palin through the Washington Speaker's Bureau.

The Freedom Club reports raising $481,500 in 2009.

Seifert and Emmer start trading blows

Posted at 10:44 AM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck (13 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Precinct caucuses are less than a day away and two of the Republican candidates for governor are starting ramp up their attacks of one another.

Marty Seifert sent out a lit piece last week that criticized Tom Emmer for voting against an amendment that would have required Hennepin County hold a voter referendum on a sales tax increase to fund a new Twins ballpark.

In the lit piece, Seifert targets Emmer and Democrats Tom Rukavina, Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Matt Entenza for voting against an amendment that would require a referendum.

Emmer's campaign immediately responded with a campaign e-mail to supporters. In it, GOP state Rep. Mark Buesgens, how is the chair of the Emmer for Governor campaign, criticized Seifert for the lit piece and went after him for voting for the Health Impact Fee and the renewable energy mandate:

Seifert recently resorted to what unfortunately happens when campaigns get desperate: negative campaigning. First we saw a whisper campaign that was quickly stopped and condemned by their campaign. Now Seifert is attacking on the phones and through the mail to potential caucus attendees, with the first hit criticizing Tom's vote on a referendum. I'm glad Marty is criticizing Tom for standing up and taking the tough vote instead of passing the buck to the voters or another body of government. I hope he continues to attack on other issues that define their differences such as the cap and trade vote or the vote to raise the cigarette "fee."

That response prompted Seifert supporter Howard Hamilton, CEO of MicroControl, to point out that the bill including the Health Impact Fee on cigarettes also included anti-abortion legislation (the unborn child protection act).

Some chose to vote against the bill and thus cast an anti-tax but anti-life vote. Some chose to vote for the bill and cast a pro-life yet pro-tax increase vote.
Thus, those Republican activists who blast Seifert for choosing to cast a pro-life vote either don't understand the issue or choose to obfuscate the issue.

Conservative hero Congresswoman Michele Bachmann chose to vote in the same manner as Seifert. When her opponents for the Republican endorsement for Congress attacked her on the issue, Bachmann famously declared that she would vote pro-life at every turn.

(On a humorous side note, Bachmann employee Jack Tomczak blasted Seifert's vote on his Facebook page and then backtracked furiously after it was pointed out that his boss voted the same way.)

Will Emmer supporters in the Sixth District start demanding that someone attempt to wrest the GOP endorsement from Bachmann because of her vote "for" the tobacco tax?

The same holds true for 3rd District Congressman Erik Paulsen. Any Emmer supporters want to dump him from the GOP?

How about state Senator Mike Jungbauer, who has endorsed Emmer? He voted the same way in 2005. Will Emmer supporters in Senate District 48 attempt to oust him over this vote?

The two candidates are obviously working to secure undecided voters at tomorrow's precinct caucuses. Will the attacks get sharper leading up to April's convention.

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Grams backs Emmer

Posted at 2:09 PM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Former U.S. Sen. Rod Grams announced today that he's backing Tom Emmer for governor. Grams, who served one term before losing to Democrat Mark Dayton in 2000, said Emmer is best suited to make the right decisions regarding the state's budget.

The news conference was held today in Duluth. Grams is known in Minnesota's eighth congressional district because he made an attempt to defeat DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar in 2006.

Here's audio of today's news conference: Listen

Side note: I reported earlier that Emmer would take part in MPR's Midday debate. Emmer's campaign notified MPR News two hours before the forum that he would not participate.

Thanks to MPR's Bob Kelleher for sending the audio and photo to me.

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Dayton loaned his campaign $570k in 2009

Posted at 2:23 PM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Democrat Mark Dayton loaned his campaign for governor $570,000 in 2009. He raised a total of $72,000 from donors. Dayton's total receipts for the year are $641,821 in 2009. He has $16,772 in the bank.

Dayton said his priority in 2009 was "not on fundraising, as I am uniquely fortunate in not having to do it," he said in a news release. "I will be increasing my fundraising efforts this year and encouraging supporters to contribute a Dollar for Dayton..."

He added that he will continue "to rely on his own resources to run a winning campaign."

Dayton is also urging Gov. Pawlenty and the Legislature to "require that every dollar contributed to every candidate, candidate's committee, political party or any other entity spending money to influence the outcome of Minnesota's elections be required to report those contributions immeditately (within 24 hours) to the MN Campaign Finance Board and that they immediately be made public by the board."

During his successful run for the U.S. Senate in 2000, Dayton spent $12 million of his own money on the campaign.

Side note: Dayton's campaign hand delivers many of these news releases so we don't have electronic copies to copy and paste on the blog.

Money ain't for nothing...

Posted at 6:48 PM on February 1, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

A majority of the candidates for governor filed their 2009 campaign finance reports. The only candidate who didn't file his campaign finance report or provide me with a summary page of their fundraising figures is Republican Tom Emmer.

Here's the info (note - I included total raised which includes cash contributions from individuals, lobbyists, political party units, political committees and in-kind donations. I also note where a candidate loaned the campaign money)

Tom Bakk (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $208,182
Money left in the bank at end of year - $137,330
Total spent in 2009 - $202,594

Mark Dayton (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $641,821
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $16,772
Total spent in 2009 - $625,050
Loan to the campaign - $570,000

Matt Entenza (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $405,286
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $73,917
Total spent in 2009 - $333,769
Loan to campaign - $70,000

Susan Gaertner (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $110,828
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $4,347
Total spent in 2009 - $159,825

Bill Haas (Republican):
Amount raised in 2009 - $16,852
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $3,395
Total spent in 2009 - $5,507

David Hann (Republican):
Amount raised in 2009 - $35,006
Money left in bank at end of year - $8,255
Total spent in 2009- $26,752

Steve Kelley (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $187,249
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $39,541
Total spent in 2009 - $160,371
Loan to the campaign - $16,400

Margaret Anderson Kelliher (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $256,232
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $79,514
Total spent in 2009 - $176,834

John Marty (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $105,895
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $18,910
Total spent in 2009 - $126,625

Tom Rukavina (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $142,074
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $51,767
Total spent in 2009 - $97,263

R.T. Rybak (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $167,842
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $25,663
Total spent in 2009 - $172,100

Marty Seifert (Republican):
Amount raised in 2009 - $262,753
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $133,072
Total spent in 2009 - $142,293
Loan to campaign - $20,000

Paul Thissen (Democrat):
Amount raised in 2009 - $253,321
Money left in the bank at the end of the year - $89,939
Total spent in 2009 - $248,126
Loan to campaign - $20,000

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