Campaign Finance

Aug 25, 2010

Emmer and Horner get public checks for gov campaigns

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board issued public subsidy payments this week to candidates running for state office, dishing out nearly $4 million to 365 candidates, including nearly $1 million to the governor’s race.

Aug 19, 2010

NY Times editorial: MN campaign finance laws should be praised

Minnesota's campaign finance and disclosure laws were the subject of a New York Times editorial, which said the state should be "praised for requiring full sunshine."

Aug 18, 2010

Campaign subsidy checks for legislators are coming in the mail next week

The state next Tuesday will cut checks to Minnesota legislative candidates participating in the public campaign subsidy program.

Aug 2, 2010

Hahn releases low-budget television ad

Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Rob Hahn is the "$6 billion man," or at least that's the message his new campaign ad is trying to get across.

Jul 30, 2010

Campaign spending: costs that stood out in 2010 governor’s race

Candidates running for Minnesota's highest elected office released massive reports detailing their fundraising and spending this week, and between the hundreds of payroll checks and and advertising bills, there were a few expenditures that stood out.

Jul 27, 2010

Campaign finance reports: MN DFL and Republican parties

The Minnesota DFL and Republican parties have filed their pre-primary reports showing fundraising and spending for the year.

Jul 26, 2010

Campaign finance report: Entenza raises $3.9 million in 2010

Matt Entenza has raised $3.9 million in his bid for governor, most of it drawn from his personal fortune. Entenza, who has spent more than $1 million on television advertising since the DFL state convention in April, has spent $3.89 million for the year. His campaign had $132,065 in cash on hand as of July 19.

Jul 15, 2010

Campaign finance snapshot: Tribal gaming interests give big to DFL party units

Minnesota's three biggest tribal PACs have been big givers to DFL party units and candidates in recent election cycles, but this year they are seemingly on a pace to blow past their previous spending ranges.

Jul 15, 2010

Paulsen holds large fundraising advantage in 3rd CD race

GOP U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen has a gargantuan lead over his DFL challenger Jim Meffert in the latest fundraising numbers.

Jul 15, 2010

Campaign finance snapshot: Win Minnesota and its 2010 Fund sitting on $2 million

The single biggest lightning rod for progressive money thus far in 2010 is the upstart Win Minnesota PAC and its independent expenditures PAC, the 2010 Fund. The main organization, as Paul Demko wrote last fall before joining PIM, was created in 2009 with an eye toward electing a Democrat in this year's gubernatorial race. Together, the two PACs have over $2 million in cash on hand.

Jul 14, 2010

Lobbying firms distribute cash evenly to DFL gov candidates

Contract lobbyists at the state's major law firms have deep-seated opinions about politics and also have a history of involvement in campaigns. But you wouldn't know that from looking at the spending from most their firms' political action committees.

Jul 14, 2010

Campaign finance snapshot: How business PACs are faring versus past cycles

Following on our snapshot of MN Forward, the new post-Citizens United business political PAC, here's a look at how some other prominent business-related PACs are doing with their fundraising compared to the same reporting period in the 2008 and 2006 election cycles. (Remember, however, that this year's pre-primary reporting deadline is roughly one month earlier than in past cycles.)