Dayton has nearly $1.7M war chest for election

Gov. Mark Dayton has about $1.7 million in cash in the final weeks of the election - nearly double the amount of his Republican opponent, Jeff Johnson.

Roughly $521,000 of that has come in from donors since July 22, the end of the last finance reporting period.

Dayton also received $534,000 from the state's public subsidy program. Johnson benefited from the subsidy as well, netting nearly $400,000 for his campaign.

Dayton hasn't done much campaigning since Johnson won the primary in early August, and the numbers show it.

Dayton spent nearly $218,000 over the last two month, and just launched his first campaign ad. He has reserved $1.3 million in airtime between now and the election on Nov. 4.

Outside groups, including the Alliance for a Better Minnesota, are bolstering Dayton's campaign by spending on ads.

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