Dem Secretary of State Doug La Follette and GOP challenger Amy Loudenbeck have combined to raise more than $507,000 this year.
That’s 41 times more than La Follette and 2018 GOP challenger Jay Schroeder had raised through the same period four years ago. The significant spike in fundraising comes as more attention has been paid to secretary of state races around the country due to their roles in election administration.
Wisconsin’s secretary of state plays no significant role in election administration. But the race has attracted national donors as some state Republican lawmakers have suggested giving the office a greater role in elections.
Loudenbeck, a state rep from Clinton, narrowly outraised La Follette in the pre-election reporting period, according to her report filed today.
She listed $104,138 in receipts and $54,289 in expenses between Sept. 1-Oct. 24. She finished the period with $87,803 in the bank.
Loudenbeck received $19,719 from committees, including $5,000 from the state GOP. The Republican Party of Wisconsin also gave her $1,649 in in-kind donations for door hangers and an email.
Her biggest donor was Joseph Pregont, president and CEO of Prent Corp. in Janesville. He gave Loudenbeck $15,000. Dana Mecum, the president and founder of Mecum Auctions, gave her $10,000, while Illinois businesswoman and GOP megadonor Liz Uihlein gave her $8,000.
Loudenbeck has raised $296,470 between Jan. 1-Oct. 24.
La Follette filed his report last week, and WisPolitics.com previously reported he raised $100,842 during the period, spent $121,599 and had $85,707 in the bank.
La Follette’s largest donation was $10,000 from Karla Jurvetson, a California doctor who has been a major Dem donor nationally in recent years. Miriam Haas, a California businesswoman, gave La Follette $7,000.
He has now raised $210,717 for the year.
La Follette reported raising $4,787 between Jan. 1-Oct. 22, 2018, ahead of his successful reelection campaign against Jay Schroeder, who reported raising $7,527 over the same period.
See Loudenbeck’s report:
https://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles/0104948FallPre-Election20222af1d1031202233850PMCF-2Report.pdf
See La Follette’s:
https://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles/0100216FallPre-Election20222603410262022121016PMCF-2Report.pdf
