DFLers have more money in final days of campaign
In the campaign's final stretch, Gov. Mark Dayton and his top allies have about $1.34 million to spend between now and Nov. 4.
That includes more than $340,000 sitting in Dayton's campaign account, the more than $440,000 the DFL state party has to spend and more than $550,000 in the Alliance for a Better Minnesota's coffers, a group backing Dayton and other DFL candidates, according to campaign finance reports released today.
Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson and his supporters have about $778,000 to spend. Johnson has more than $450,000 in his campaign bank account, while the Minnesota Republican Party has about $128,000. The Freedom Club, a conservative group that has spent heavily on the Minnesota governor's race so far, has about $196,000.
Both gubernatorial candidates pulled in even more money after Oct. 20, which is the final day the campaign finance reports cover before the election.
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Where Democrats have their most sizable financial edge is in the Minnesota House races, which are turning out to be some of the most contested this year because Republicans need only seven seats to take control of the House.
The DFL House Caucus has about $1.028 million on hand while the House Republican Caucus has about $200,500.
Nevertheless, both sides are backed-up by political groups that are spending on House races - especially on the right, where an array of well-funded business groups are putting money into House races. Some of the biggest spenders so far include the Pro Jobs Majority PAC, which is affiliated with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and has spent more than $900,000 to help Republicans take the House.
The Minnesota Jobs Coalition has emerged as another major player in the House contest, spending more than $200,000 on House races. That spending reflects a national interest in turning the Minnesota House red; the Republican State Leadership Committee, which is based out of DC and helps elect Republicans to state legislatures, has funneled about $250,000 to the Jobs Coalition this fall.
The Freedom Club is also helping House Republican candidates, spending about $51,000 so far in those races.
On the left, the Alliance for a Better Minnesota has spent about $1 million to help DLFers defend their majority in the House, with labor unions pitching in, too.