Big donors fuel Walker's record-breaking numbers

Out of state donors fueled Gov. Scott Walker's record-breaking campaign fundraising in recent weeks, helping Walker bring in more than $12 million since last year as he fights attempts to recall him from office.

The $12.1 million Walker has raised since January 2011 breaks the previous record for fundraising that Walker himself set in the 2010 race when he brought in $10 million. And he shows no signs of slowing down, thanks to a state law that allows targets of a recall to raise unlimited amounts until an election is set.

Over just one week this month Walker raised $1 million from four donors, including another $250,000 from conservative Texas financier Bob Perry.

"We haven't seen anything like this before," said Mike McCabe, director of the government watchdog group the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, on Tuesday. His group's analysis of Walker's latest fundraising totals, which covered Dec. 11 through Jan. 17, showed that 61 percent of the $4.1 million he raised from individuals came from out of state.

In total, Walker collected $4.5 million over the five-week reporting period. Nearly $2.3 million came from just 33 donors who gave between $20,000 and $250,000, McCabe said.

Walker is able to ignore the usual $10,000 limit per donor because state law allows those targeted for a recall to raise unlimited funds until an election is called. Democrats are still bound by those limits. State election officials are currently reviewing 1.9 million petition signatures against Walker and five other Republicans.

Perry, a Texas conservative home builder, was one of the main financial backers behind the Swift Boat Veterans ads that attacked Sen. John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign. Perry has now given Walker $500,000.

The three others who gave Walker $250,000 each over one week this month were Missouri residents: David C. Humphreys and Sarah Atkins, both of Tamko Building Products, and Stanley M. Herzog of Herzog Contracting.

The reports show Walker also got three donations of $100,000 each, four of $50,000 and at least 54 others of $10,000 or more.

Walker has been raising money at a furious pace, using it to defend his agenda largely through television ads that have been running consistently since the recall efforts began in mid-November. Walker reported having $2.6 million cash on hand.

The $12.1 million he has raised since the beginning of 2011 eclipses the $11.3 million he and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, who also is being targeted for recall, spent on the entire 2010 gubernatorial race.

"Gov. Walker's message of moving Wisconsin forward continues to resonate with voters," said Walker campaign spokeswoman Ciara Matthews. "It is this message, and the success of the governor's reforms, that have inspired people to contribute to his campaign in overwhelming numbers."

Walker has been crisscrossing the country raising money for the recall, including a trip to New York City last week where he hosted a $2,500-per-person fundraiser with Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, the founder and former CEO of American International Group.

Democrats have repeatedly said they do not anticipate being able to match Walker in fundraising. While Walker raised $4.5 million over the most recent five-week reporting period, the Democratic Party reported collecting $394,000. United Wisconsin, which formed to help recall Walker, raised just $86,000.

Democratic Party spokesman Graeme Zielinski said Walker's campaign was fueled by "corporate donors from New York and Texas."

"His values, like his campaign monies, are not from Wisconsin," Zielinski said.

Reports filed by the Democratic Party and United Wisconsin showing their individual donors had not been posted online by Tuesday morning.

"Walker's going to have a commanding advantage," said McCabe with the Democracy Campaign. "There's no question. I don't think any Democratic candidate can possibly catch up."

Two Democrats have announced that they will seek the party's nomination to take on Walker. They are former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and state Sen. Tim Cullen of Janesville. A number of others are considering running.

The recall effort was spurred by anger over Walker's first year in office, in particular a law that effectively ended collective bargaining rights for most public workers.

The Government Accountability Board is reviewing recall signatures to determine if enough were gathered to order recall elections. The board will ask a judge on Wednesday to give it at least 60 days to complete that process.

The four targeted incumbent GOP senators - Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau, Pam Galloway of Wausau, Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls, and Van Wanggaard of Racine - reported having $734,000 cash on hand collectively for the recall fight.

Republicans hold a narrow 17-16 majority in the Senate. That was trimmed by two seats last year after Democrats defeated a pair of Republican incumbents in recall elections. Democrats hope to take the majority through the latest round of recalls, but Republicans are already amassing a big cash advantage.

Jeff Johnson, a Democrat from Wausau who was an active local union leader, is the only announced candidate in any of the Senate recall races, though more were expected to come forward soon.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)