Carrie Lucking, executive director, Alliance for a Better Minnesota The three DFL-aligned organizations that played a pivotal role in helping Mark Dayton win the 2010 gubernatorial contest are poised to once again be major players in this year's elections. The 2012 Fund, WIN Minnesota Political Action Fund and Alliance for a Better Minnesota Action Fund reported raising $1.5 million and had nearly $1.3 million cash on hand at the close of the pre-primary filing period.

Most of the criticism of DFL state party chair Brian Melendez in the wake of Election Day has been confined to the liberal blogosphere. The three-term incumbent could likely survive those barbs. But now a critical DFL donor is apparently making her opposition to Melendez known.

DFL-friendly group Alliance for a Better Minnesota reported raising $2.3 million since the last campaign finance reporting period in late September, bringing its total this election cycle to $5.3 million.

The Republican Party of Minnesota has filed a complaint alleging that the Win Minnesota Political Action Fund illegally disbursed $60,000 to another political organization. At issue is a contribution that Win Minnesota made to the Working America Political Fund in August.

The Alliance for a Better Minnesota is leading spending in the Minnesota governor's race by third party groups, with almost all of its $2.9 million already spent on ads against GOP gubernatorial nominee Tom Emmer. But the Alliance is not the group raking in the cash.

Matt Entenza has contributed another $250,000 to his gubernatorial campaign for the final primary push. The former House Minority has now provided more than $5 million in personal funds for the effort, including $1.3 million just since the July 19 campaign finance filing deadline.