New finance reports show more than $55M flooding governor, attorney general races

Campaign finance reports released Tuesday show more than $55 million flowing into the two most competitive state-level races — with more being spent by outside groups than by the candidates’ own campaigns.

Much of the money is going toward TV ads blanketing the airwaves in the runup to the Nov. 3 election.

The reports filed with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board run through Oct. 19, so they don’t yet show the entire financial picture. State law requires the reports to be released one week before Election Day.

Governor’s race

Outside groups have spent more than $18 million so far in the race for the governor’s office.

The biggest chunk, more than $9 million, was spent by Restore Sanity, a GOP group that sprang up early this year to support Republican Lisa Demuth’s candidacy. It got most of its money from a national group largely funded by Wisconsin manufacturing magnate Richard Uihlein, according to outlets that have examined the group’s finances. Groups supporting Demuth also spent more than $5 million and groups opposing her spent more than $3 million.

But Democrat Amy Klobuchar’s campaign vastly outraised and outspent Demuth. Klobuchar raised more than $18 million, spent more than $16 million and still has around $2 million in cash.

Demuth’s campaign reported raising more than $5 million, including a $1.3 million public subsidy. She’s spent more than $5 million, with about half a million dollars left. Klobuchar chose not to abide by state spending limits, which meant her campaign didn’t receive a public subsidy and Demuth received a higher subsidy.

Four years ago, the total amount of spending in the governor’s race between DFL Gov. Tim Walz and Republican Scott Jensen was just shy of $36 million. This year’s race is already $3 million ahead of that, largely due to Klobuchar’s spending. In 2022, Walz raised just a third of what Klobuchar has raised so far and Jensen and Demuth raised roughly the same amount of money.

Attorney general race

In the attorney general race, outside groups have spent more than $12 million. That’s in addition to the amount raised and spent by the candidates.

Incumbent Democrat Keith Ellison’s campaign reported spending nearly $4.5 million, compared to Republican Ron Schutz’s campaign, which reported spending less than a third of that, nearly $1.3 million.

The attorney general’s race is expected to be among the most competitive statewide races this year. Ellison won his previous reelection campaign by less than one percentage point in a race that garnered nearly $16 million in outside spending in 2022.

Minnesota Legislature:

A handful of competitive state Senate races have topped $1 million in outside spending. DFLers are trying to hold on to their one-seat majority in the Senate.

Republicans are targeting DFL incumbents Grant Hauschild of Hermantown, Aric Putnam of St. Cloud and Rob Kupec of Moorhead as potential seats to flip. Outside groups have spent more than $8 million in those three races, with outside spending in Putnam’s race against Republican Bernie Perryman topping $3 million alone.

Democrats are hoping to pick up seats in the districts of Jim Abeler of Anoka and two open seats previously held by Republicans — Warren Limmer’s district in Maple Grove and Carla Nelson’s district in Rochester.

In the Rochester area, total spending in the race between DFL candidate Simon Glaser and Republican Nels Pierson is creeping towards $1 million. In Maple Grove, the total amount of spending has already surpassed $1.5 million as Republican Brady Hoag and DFLer Kristy Janigo vie for Limmer’s spot.

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