Campaign finance reports released Friday showed all three Democratic gubernatorial candidates leaning heavily on ActBlue and out-of-state small-dollar contributions to get them where they are this cycle.
More than half of the people who gave to Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and presumed frontrunner Jocelyn Benson came from out of state, with Benson getting 10 percent of her more than 27,000 contributions from California alone.
Meanwhile, independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan relied on bigger-dollar, in-state contributions to put him in a position in which he has nearly as much cash on hand as Benson. Duggan’s $3.2 million raised was $300,000 behind Benson while his cash on hand is $2,319,269, around $100,000 behind Benson.
Longtime political observer Chris DeWitt of DeWitt Communications and FOIA Services Michigan said Duggan’s fundraising totals give him two major advantages over the other candidates.
“First, he doesn’t have to spend money on a primary,” DeWitt said. “Second, due to his positive name recognition in Southeast Michigan, he can use his funds to bolster his name and record in the much cheaper out-state media markets.
“I contend Duggan’s $3 million is worth more in the neighborhood of $6 million when taking into account the advantages he has over the other candidates.”
Benson reported raising $3,536,957, spending $1,116,974 and having $2,420,010 in cash on hand. As advertised Thursday, Benson reported 27,206 individual contributions, more than twice that of the Republican field combined. The dollar amount is more than any other gubernatorial candidate in state history at this stage of the campaign.
She shifted $592,418 from her Secretary of State campaign account.
Also, 17,812 (65 percent) listed their occupation as “not employed” and 1,382 (5 percent) said they were retired, meaning 70 percent didn’t list an employer.
Of her 27,206 contributions, 13,717 (50.4 percent) came from out of state, with 2,745 (10 percent) coming from people living in California, which tracks in that six of the 23 fundraisers Benson hosted were held in the Golden State. Nine of her fundraisers were held in Michigan. The remaining 14 were held out of state.
She received 320 contributions (1 percent) from people who live in Detroit and 281 (1 percent) who work in Detroit.
National progressive donors Alex and George Soros have already maxed out on Benson, who hit Hollywood with her contributions. Among others to give to Benson include George Takei of Star Trek fame, ’90s heartthrob Alyssa Milano, 1984 Supergirl Helen Slater, Richard Masur, Timothy Omundson and Peri Vincent.
Like her other Democratic contributors, Benson used the ActBlue fundraising vehicle to tap into small-dollar amounts from people across the country.
As for the rest of contributions, 1,034 came from Florida, 914 contributions from New York, 882 from Illinois, 661 from Texas, 544 from Massachusetts, 541 from Pennsylvania, 539 from Colorado, 487 from Washington, 480 from Virginia, 438 from Maryland, 425 from Oregon, 362 from New Jersey, 347 from North Carolina, 340 from Ohio, 333 from Arizona, 266 from Georgia, 233 from Minnesota, 215 Indiana, 190 from Wisconsin, 166 from the District of Columbia, 165 from Connecticut, 156 from Tennessee, 154 from Missouri, 132 from New Mexico, 124 from Kentucky, 110 from South Carolina, 107 from Kansas, 102 from Nevada, 80 from Louisiana, 79 from Maine, 77 from Hawaii, 66 from Utah, 63 from Alabama, 62 from New Hampshire, 57 from Delaware, 55 from Vermont, 52 from Iowa, 49 from Idaho, 45 from Rhode Island, 44 from Montana, 39 from Arkansas, 38 from West Virginia, 37 from Oklahoma, 32 from Alaska, 23 from Mississippi, 22 from Nebraska, 21 from South Dakota, 17 from Wyoming, and 6 from North Dakota.
Because of the expense of using ActBlue, however, all three of the Democratic candidates reported spending considerable sums. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson spent more than half of what they raised. Benson had to spend $1.1 million of her largess giving her a cash on hand total that’s on par with Duggan and both major Republican gubernatorial candidates.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II reported raising $768,201, spending $456,096 and having $312,194 in cash on hand. He reported 10,183 contributions, of which 4,127 (40 percent) were from in state. Gilchrist received 539 contributions (5 percent) from those who live in the city of Detroit and 138 (1 percent) from people who work in the city of Detroit.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson reported raising $1,064,309, spent $595,980 and has 468,329 in cash on hand. He reported 2,155 contributions, of which 1,143 (53 percent) were from Michigan. The remaining 47 percent of the donations came from outside the state.
He moved $182,654 from his Sheriff’s account.
Meanwhile, independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan reported raising $3,201,246, spending $934,230 and having $2,319,269 in the bank. The Detroit mayor reported 1,643 contributions, of which 114 (7 percent) were from out of state. Another 209 (13 percent) of Duggan’s contributors live in the city of Detroit while 267 (16%) work in the city of Detroit. 10 were homemakers.
So, while Gilchrist received more donations from people who live in the city, Benson received more donations from people who work in the city.
Also, around 73 percent of Duggan’s contributions came from employed individuals, people with jobs. Only 188 (11 percent) were retired and only seven listed that they were unemployed. The campaign requested the employment status of 256 others (15.5 percent).
By comparison, 7,126 of Gilchrist’s 10,183 contributions (70%) came from people who listed their occupation as being “not employed” and 146 (1 percent) were retired.
Duggan’s average contribution is $1,942 compared to $399.70 for Swanson, $107.46 for Benson and $75.21 for Gilchrist. He did receive $2,500 from former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
Not counting transfers from the candidates’ other accounts, Duggan raised the most hard dollars from direct contributions of all the announced gubernatorial candidates at $3,201,146. Benson was next at $2,897,016. From there, it’s Nesbitt $1,934,289; James $1,507,458; Swanson $861,280; Cox $800,861; Gilchrist $768,201 and Leonard $183,363.
Campaign finance reports released Friday showed all three Democratic gubernatorial candidates leaning heavily on ActBlue and out-of-state small-dollar contributions to get them where they are this cycle.
More than half of the people who gave to Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and presumed frontrunner Jocelyn Benson came from out of state, with Benson getting 10 percent of her more than 27,000 contributions from California alone.
Meanwhile, independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan relied on bigger-dollar, in-state contributions to put him in a position in which he has nearly as much cash on hand as Benson. Duggan’s $3.2 million raised was $300,000 behind Benson while his cash on hand is $2,319,269, around $100,000 behind Benson.
Longtime political observer Chris DeWitt of DeWitt Communications and FOIA Services Michigan said Duggan’s fundraising totals give him two major advantages over the other candidates.
“First, he doesn’t have to spend money on a primary,” DeWitt said. “Second, due to his positive name recognition in Southeast Michigan, he can use his funds to bolster his name and record in the much cheaper out-state media markets.
“I contend Duggan’s $3 million is worth more in the neighborhood of $6 million when taking into account the advantages he has over the other candidates.”
Benson reported raising $3,536,957, spending $1,116,974 and having $2,420,010 in cash on hand. As advertised Thursday, Benson reported 27,206 individual contributions, more than twice that of the Republican field combined. The dollar amount is more than any other gubernatorial candidate in state history at this stage of the campaign.
She shifted $592,418 from her Secretary of State campaign account.
Also, 17,812 (65 percent) listed their occupation as “not employed” and 1,382 (5 percent) said they were retired, meaning 70 percent didn’t list an employer.
Of her 27,206 contributions, 13,717 (50.4 percent) came from out of state, with 2,745 (10 percent) coming from people living in California, which tracks in that six of the 23 fundraisers Benson hosted were held in the Golden State. Nine of her fundraisers were held in Michigan. The remaining 14 were held out of state.
She received 320 contributions (1 percent) from people who live in Detroit and 281 (1 percent) who work in Detroit.
National progressive donors Alex and George Soros have already maxed out on Benson, who hit Hollywood with her contributions. Among others to give to Benson include George Takei of Star Trek fame, ’90s heartthrob Alyssa Milano, 1984 Supergirl Helen Slater, Richard Masur, Timothy Omundson and Peri Vincent.
Like her other Democratic contributors, Benson used the ActBlue fundraising vehicle to tap into small-dollar amounts from people across the country.
As for the rest of contributions, 1,034 came from Florida, 914 contributions from New York, 882 from Illinois, 661 from Texas, 544 from Massachusetts, 541 from Pennsylvania, 539 from Colorado, 487 from Washington, 480 from Virginia, 438 from Maryland, 425 from Oregon, 362 from New Jersey, 347 from North Carolina, 340 from Ohio, 333 from Arizona, 266 from Georgia, 233 from Minnesota, 215 Indiana, 190 from Wisconsin, 166 from the District of Columbia, 165 from Connecticut, 156 from Tennessee, 154 from Missouri, 132 from New Mexico, 124 from Kentucky, 110 from South Carolina, 107 from Kansas, 102 from Nevada, 80 from Louisiana, 79 from Maine, 77 from Hawaii, 66 from Utah, 63 from Alabama, 62 from New Hampshire, 57 from Delaware, 55 from Vermont, 52 from Iowa, 49 from Idaho, 45 from Rhode Island, 44 from Montana, 39 from Arkansas, 38 from West Virginia, 37 from Oklahoma, 32 from Alaska, 23 from Mississippi, 22 from Nebraska, 21 from South Dakota, 17 from Wyoming, and 6 from North Dakota.
Because of the expense of using ActBlue, however, all three of the Democratic candidates reported spending considerable sums. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson spent more than half of what they raised. Benson had to spend $1.1 million of her largess giving her a cash on hand total that’s on par with Duggan and both major Republican gubernatorial candidates.
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II reported raising $768,201, spending $456,096 and having $312,194 in cash on hand. He reported 10,183 contributions, of which 4,127 (40 percent) were from in state. Gilchrist received 539 contributions (5 percent) from those who live in the city of Detroit and 138 (1 percent) from people who work in the city of Detroit.
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson reported raising $1,064,309, spent $595,980 and has 468,329 in cash on hand. He reported 2,155 contributions, of which 1,143 (53 percent) were from Michigan. The remaining 47 percent of the donations came from outside the state.
He moved $182,654 from his Sheriff’s account.
Meanwhile, independent gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan reported raising $3,201,246, spending $934,230 and having $2,319,269 in the bank. The Detroit mayor reported 1,643 contributions, of which 114 (7 percent) were from out of state. Another 209 (13 percent) of Duggan’s contributors live in the city of Detroit while 267 (16%) work in the city of Detroit. 10 were homemakers.
So, while Gilchrist received more donations from people who live in the city, Benson received more donations from people who work in the city.
Also, around 73 percent of Duggan’s contributions came from employed individuals, people with jobs. Only 188 (11 percent) were retired and only seven listed that they were unemployed. The campaign requested the employment status of 256 others (15.5 percent).
By comparison, 7,126 of Gilchrist’s 10,183 contributions (70%) came from people who listed their occupation as being “not employed” and 146 (1 percent) were retired.
Duggan’s average contribution is $1,942 compared to $399.70 for Swanson, $107.46 for Benson and $75.21 for Gilchrist. He did receive $2,500 from former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
Not counting transfers from the candidates’ other accounts, Duggan raised the most hard dollars from direct contributions of all the announced gubernatorial candidates at $3,201,146. Benson was next at $2,897,016. From there, it’s Nesbitt $1,934,289; James $1,507,458; Swanson $861,280; Cox $800,861; Gilchrist $768,201 and Leonard $183,363.
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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