Minnesota candidates, outside groups, spent big in weeks leading up to Nov. 3 election

Candidates for Minnesota’s statewide offices, alongside their deep-pocketed outside allies, have poured millions of dollars into what will likely be the most expensive midterm election in state history, according to campaign finance documents released Tuesday.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic nominee for Minnesota governor who has served in the U.S. Senate for 20 years, has raised over $15.5 million as of Oct. 19. Gov. Tim Walz’s fundraising in his 2022 reelection pales in comparison to Klobuchar’s — Walz had raised about $5.7 million around this time four years ago. 

The money sloshing into races this year reflects the deregulated campaign finance environment of the past 15 years, since the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings siding against campaign rules on First Amendment grounds, beginning with Citizens United vs. FEC. The money is also a reflection of the fiercely competitive atmosphere and high stakes of a potential Democratic-Farmer-Labor trifecta.

Since launching her campaign at the end of January, Klobuchar has spent nearly $13.5 million, with most of her expenses going to advertising. As of Oct. 19, Klobuchar’s campaign had over $2 million in cash, meaning she will have plenty to spend in the final days of the campaign.

House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the GOP nominee for governor, raised $3.6 million as of Oct. 19, about $1.3 million of which came from an August public subsidy payment. The state provides the subsidy to candidates who agree to spending and fundraising limits. Klobuchar opted out of the subsidy so she could blow through the voluntary spending caps. That allowed Demuth to receive a larger payment.

Demuth’s campaign spent $3.5 million this year, over $2.2 million on digital and tv ads.

Demuth’s candidacy has been bolstered by a super PAC that has provided the most significant outside money in support of a statewide Republican candidate in years. Restore Sanity is mostly funded by the Restoration of America PAC, which is primarily financed by Wisconsin billionaire duo Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein. The Uihleins own one of North America’s largest distributors of shipping and packaging supplies.

Restore Sanity has raised over $16 million this year — over $15 million from the Uihlein-funded Restoration of America PAC. Restore Sanity has spent over $5 million on digital and TV ads and direct mailers in favor of Demuth, and it has spent over $9 million on negative ads and mailers opposing Klobuchar’s campaign.

For the first time, Restore Sanity spent money outside of the governor’s race: $330,000 on digital ads against Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who is seeking a fourth term.

The Democratic-Farmer-Labor-aligned Alliance for a Better Minnesota raised $8.5 million this year, mostly from the We All Do Better PAC, which received most of its money from an arm of the Democratic Attorneys General Association. Alliance for a Better Minnesota has spent over $4.7 million on ads against Republican attorney general candidate Ron Schutz, and $3 million on ads against Demuth.

Renew Minnesota, a Republican-aligned independent expenditure group, is spending heavily on contested Minnesota legislative races. It’s mostly funded by a large national Republican committee based in Arlington, Virginia, and the Minnesota Private Business Council. Jim Schultz, a former Republican attorney general candidate, is president of the council.

All 201 seats in the Minnesota Legislature are up for grabs next week, and Republicans and Democrats are spending heavily to try to win a majority.

Renew has spent over $9 million this year and is spending heavily on battleground Minnesota Senate races. The group has spent $658,000 on ads against Sen. Grant Hauschild, DFL-Hermantown; $556,000 on ads against Sen. Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud; and $534,000 on ads against Kristy Janigo, the Democratic candidate running for a Maple Grove-area Senate seat left open by retiring Republican Sen. Warren Limmer.

The Republican and Democratic House caucuses are fundraising to take control of the chamber, as the House was split 67-67 in the last legislative session.

House Democrats have raised $7.8 million and have $1.8 million cash on hand. Among the caucus’ top donors are the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee ($1.2 million), Education Minnesota’s political action committee ($625,000) and labor unions like LIUNA, AFSCME and SEIU, which each donated over $200,000.

House Republicans have raised over $2.6 million and have over $700,000 in cash. Among its top donors include the International Union of Operating Engineers ($125,000), former Target CEO Bob Ulrich ($100,000) and the North Central State Carpenters PAC ($65,000).

Senate Democrats, who are hoping to grow their one-seat majority, have raised over $8.5 million and have nearly $2.5 million in cash. Among the caucus’ top donors include the DLCC ($1.2 million), the AFSCME Working Families Fund based in D.C. ($775,000) and Education Minnesota’s PAC ($625,000).

Senate Republicans have raised $3.5 million this year and have over $2.1 million in cash. Its top donors include a Republican-aligned PAC called Building American Greatness ($225,000), Marty Davis, CEO and president of the quartz surfaces manufacturer Cambria Company ($100,000), and Ulrich, the former Target CEO ($100,000).