WALZ OUTPACES PREVIOUS GUTKNECHT CHALLENGERS
01/31/2006
DFL congressional candidate Tim Walz recently filed a noteworthy year end financial disclosure report with the Federal Election Commission. Walz, who has never run for elected office before filed with a total of $118,153 raised and $40,309 cash on hand.
Although incumbent Gil Gutknecht filed with significantly more cash on hand, Walz’s numbers suggest that he will pose a serious challenge to Gutknecht in the upcoming 2006 elections. To date, no other Gutknecht challenger has raised as much money as Walz in the year prior to the election.
Walz said of his fundraising numbers, “I think every candidate wishes he or she had more cash on hand, but nonetheless I’m pleased with my numbers. The fact that someone like myself, someone with no political fundraising experience, is able to raise nearly $120,000 in the course of a year says to me that the people of southern Minnesota are tired of the status quo.”
To date, 91.8% of donations to Tim Walz are individual contributions. In contrast, Gutknecht received only 64% of his monies from individuals. During 2005 alone Rep. Gutknecht accepted more than $163,000 in donations from special interest PACs.[1]
GUTKENECHT OPPONENTS: FUNDRAISING TOTALS
Election year Democratic opponent % Vote [cq.com] Preceding year Total raised during election cycle [opensecrets.org]
2006 Tim Walz Net contributions 2005: $118,136 $118,136**
2004 Leigh Pomeroy 35.5% Net contributions 2003: $0 $59,327
2002 Steve Andreasen 34.7% Net contributions 2001: $0 $123,539
2000 Mary Rieder 41.6% Net contributions 1999: $116,690 $373,939
1998 Tracy L. Beckman 45.2% Net contributions 1997: $0 $344,490
1996 Mary Rieder 47.2% Net contributions: $212.30* $644,547
1994 John C. Hottinger 44.7% Net contributions 1993: $0 $352,406
*Cash on hand carried over from previous campaign
**Total raised on Dec. 31, 2005.
[1] Source:www.tray.com
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Meredith Salsbery
Communications Director
Tim Walz for U.S. Congress
507-351-7730
http://www.timwalz.org/