DULUTH, Minn. - Two weeks before the primary, the numbers are in for the Minnesota gubernatorial race spending.
This is the first governor's race since Congress allowed private companies to fund candidates directly.
What candidates raised:
- Independent Tom Horner: $19,000
- Republican Tom Emmer: $785,000
- Democrat-Farmer-Labor Margaret Anderson Kelliher: $980,000
- Democrat-Farmer-Labor Matt Entenza: $3.9 million
- Democrat-Farmer-Labor Mark Dayton: $3 million
Our partners at Minnesota Public Radio report one of the more controversial funds for candidates comes from the Target Corporation.
Target has given "MN Forward" $150,000 in support of TV ads for Republican Tom Emmer.
Target's CEO said in a letter the move did not mean Target agrees with all of Emmer's advocated ideas.
A break down of the spending shows Kelliher spent $600 on make-up for the DFL convention and a Twin Cities TV appearance.
Entenza spent $38,000 on telemarketing and $330,000 on direct mail.
Emmer spent $3,000 on fireworks at the republican convention and
Dayton spent $28,000 on a social media consultant this year.
Altogether, Dayton spent $3.3 million of his own money and Entenza spent $4 million of his own.
Political analysts debate whether personal wealth gives candidates an edge in the race.
Analyst Gary Doty said, "I think there are a lot of people that resent the fact that they kind of, in a way, bypass the system of raising dollars and doing what everybody else is doing and spending your own money just 'cause you're wealthy. They look at it as buying the office."
Now to give you a quick check on the U.S. representative district 8 race in Minnesota.
As of last month, Democrat incumbent James Oberstar had raised $1.3 million, while Republican challenger Chip Cravaak has brought in $77,000.
Written for the Web by Jena Pike
jpike@northlandsnewcenter.com
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