Pawlenty has outspent Hatch by $1 million

10/30/2006

The GOP governor’s campaign has spent $3.3 million, mostly on ads,but he still has almost four times as much cash left as Hatch does.

Pat Doyle,
Star Tribune
Last update: October 30, 2006 – 8:22 PM

Unrestrained by campaign expense limits, Tim Pawlenty has outspent opponent Mike Hatch by $1 million to underwrite a costly advertising blitz likely to continue in the week before the gubernatorial election.
Pawlenty, the Republican incumbent, has spent $3.3 million this year, roughly the cost of two Tomahawk cruise missiles. About two-thirds of the money paid for advertisements.

Pawlenty reported having nearly four times as much money left to spend as did Hatch, a DFLer, with more likely to pour in for both candidates.

Meanwhile, political committees and party units also spent large sums to advance agendas, elect or defeat candidates. Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage, which seeks a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, spent nearly a quarter million dollars to promote its cause.

And Minnesotans for Change, a coalition of wealthy DFL allies, gave $800,000 to the DFL State Central Committee.

The state DFL Party reported spending $6 million and having $647,000 left. The state GOP spent $4.8 million and had $1.2 million remaining.

The figures were contained in documents filed Monday with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board for the yearly reporting period ending Oct. 23.

Hatch reported spending $2.3 million and having $106,000 on hand for the stretch run—less available cash than any major-party candidate. Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson reported having $177,000 left after spending just over $1 million. Pawlenty reported having $378,000 on hand.

If his spending up until now is any indication, Pawlenty will use most of what remains to pay for ads touting his record or attacking Hatch. The governor has spent $2.3 million on television and radio commercials, newspaper ads, and bumpers and flyers.

“We are well-positioned to finish this campaign strongly and get the governor’s positive message to voters throughout the state,” said Pawlenty campaign spokesman Brian McClung.

Hatch campaign spokeswoman Leslie Sandberg said the disparity in spending and leftover cash wasn’t a big concern.

“We will be competitive with Pawlenty’s campaign on television and in the field,” Sandberg said. “Our fundraising is still very strong.”

It was unclear Monday how much of Hatch’s expenses have gone for advertising because his campaign released only a summary of its finances and by late afternoon hadn’t filed spending details with the board.

Exceeding the spending limits

Spending took off after Pawlenty decided that he wouldn’t accept a $473,000 subsidy under the state’s public campaign-financing system. That allowed him, and his major-party opponents, to exceed a $2.4 million limit in total spending that had been set for the governor’s race this year under formulas in state law.

Pawlenty’s rivals accused him of violating a Minnesota tradition. But Pawlenty’s camp said well-financed efforts by two new DFL-linked groups focused on stopping the governor’s reelection bid left him no choice.

Minnesotans for Change is one of those groups. Another, Alliance for Better Minnesota, hadn’t filed by late afternoon. It reported in August receiving $944,980 this year and spending more than two-thirds of it.

While the race for governor is center stage among state races, interest groups have spent money on less visible legislative campaigns. Minnesota Citizens in Defense of Marriage spent $217,000, about $58,000 of that on radio, television and flyers to defeat two incumbents, Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson and Sen. Paul Koering.

Koering, R-Fort Ripley, came out as gay in 2005, three years after he was elected in a socially conservative area. Conservatives have blamed Johnson, DFL-Willmar, for thwarting a vote on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

The Senate DFL caucus reported spending $1.8 million, with $698,000 remaining. Senate Republicans spent $586,000 and had $166,000 left. The House DFL caucus spent nearly $2 million and has $184,000 left. House Republicans spent $1.8 million and have $511,000 remaining.