WASHINGTON – The Republicans and Democrats running for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat all have one thing in common — their campaigns are raising more money from out-of- state contributors than from voters in Minnesota.
Former NBA player Royce White has raised the smallest amount — $3,211.50 — from Minnesotans, according to a MinnPost analysis of Federal Election Commission data. His campaign, meanwhile, had raised more than $610,000 as of Sept. 30.
Fellow Republican Adam Schwarze, a former Navy seal, has raised considerably more money from Minnesota donors, $68,556. But that amount was also dwarfed by the total Schwarze’s campaign has taken in, which is about $480,000.
A third Republican candidate, Navy veteran Tom Weiler, who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Angie Craig for the 2nd District congressional seat, is a late entrant in the race and did not report any fundraising before Sept. 30.
The Democrats who are vying for the Senate seat have raised more money than the Republicans who are trying to flip that seat. But like the Republicans, Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are greatly dependent on out-of-state donors to fund their campaigns.
Related: GOP is underdog in Minn. senate race, but here’s who’s trying to flip seat
Craig raised $738,386 from in-state itemized individual donations and nearly $4.7 million overall. The candidate also received a sizable amount of non-itemized donations, about $618,000.
Federal election law does not require a candidate to identify donors who contribute less than $200, so it cannot be determined whether those small donors are from out of state or in state. All of Minnesota’s Senate candidates reported receiving un-itemized deductions, which could impact their tally of out-of-state versus in-state donations.
Craig also moved $961,595 from her House campaign account. The sources of the original donations are unclear. But the lawmaker also received a lot of out-of-state money in her House campaign war chest.
Jacob Rubashkin of Inside Elections said it’s not unusual for candidates for a U.S. Senate seat to receive more money from donors who live out of state and can’t vote for the candidates they support.
“Fundraising is a national endeavor for several reasons, with the main one being that these elections are incredibly expensive,” he said. “You have to look everywhere for your dollars.”
Between the primary and the general election next November, the Minnesota Senate race is expected to cost at least $30 million.
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Minnesota still No. 1, but not for everyone
Democrats, who are generally more dependent than Republicans on grassroots donors, have even greater reason to “cast a wide net,” Rubashkin said.
Flanagan campaign spokeswoman Alexandra Fetissoff noted that the lieutenant governor has received small donations from each corner of the state, as well as distant locales.
“The majority of Peggy’s grassroot support comes from Minnesota with donations from all 87 counties,” Fetissoff said. “Her campaign also has donations from all 50 states because Democrats across the country realize how critical this race is in deciding the next chapter of the Democratic Party — progressive values versus corporate Democrats.”
Many out-of-town donors give small monthly donations to campaigns. But other out-of-town donors — like New Yorker and former White House spokesman Anthony Scaramucci, who donated $7,000 to Craig’s campaign — give the maximum the FEC allows. That maximum is $3,500 for a primary and another $3,500 for the general election.
Craig, whose competitive races for the 2nd District congressional seat helped make her a skilled campaigner and fundraiser, has outpaced Flanagan in raking in donations.
Related: Angie Craig and Peggy Flanagan flex their political muscles in race for U.S. Senate seat
And like Flanagan’s, Craig’s campaign also touts its grassroots donations.
“Over 90% of her contributions are $100 or less, and this past quarter she received donations from all 87 counties and had 12,000 new donors,” Craig’s campaign said in a statement. “It is clear that the congresswoman has the upward momentum and is in the best position to defend Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat and represent this great state on Day 1.”
While lots of out-of-state money is fueling Minnesota’s Senate race, the state that has given the most money to each of the candidates, except White, is Minnesota.
White has raised far more money in California ($18,000,) Arizona ($17,000,) Texas (more than $13,000,) and Florida ($10,000), compared with the just over $3,200 he’s raised in individual contributions from Minnesota.
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