Walker raises $5.5 million in first half of 2018

Governor is far ahead of potential opponents

MADISON – Gov. Scott Walker heads into the final months of his campaign for a third term likely raising millions more than any of his Democratic opponents brought in during the first half of 2018.

Walker’s campaign said Monday he raised $5.5 million during the past six months, while none of his challengers who had reported fundraising totals as of Monday afternoon broke $1 million raised in the same time period.

While Walker again proved the strength of his donor base, he raised $2.8 million less than what was raised during the first half of 2014 when he was gearing up for a race against former Trek Bicycle executive and Madison School Board member Mary Burke.

Meanwhile, Democratic candidate for governor Mike McCabe raised more than $156,000 in the first half of 2018.

He’s the only Democratic candidate for governor to provide a full accounting of his 2018 fundraising as of 5 p.m. Monday. Reports were due by 11:59 p.m.

Former Democratic Party of Wisconsin chairman Matt Flynn’s campaign spokesman said Flynn raised $687,569 since October and has $403,462 in cash on hand heading into the Aug. 14 primary, but Flynn has not filed his fundraising report with state officials.

Mahlon Mitchell, president of Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin, said in a statement he had raised $840,000 since entering the race in 2017 but did not detail how much of that was raised in the first six months of 2018.

Former state Rep. Kelda Roys also recently said she had raised more than $800,000 since getting in the race last year, but she has not yet provided full details about her 2018 fundraising, such as how much of her own money she put into the race.

And Madison Mayor Paul Soglin reported raising $116,000, spending about $58,000 and having about the same amount in cash on hand, his campaign said.

McCabe, Flynn, Mitchell, Roys and Soglin are five of the eight Democrats seeking to challenge Walker in the fall.

The fundraising figures will show who is best equipped to put TV ads on the air in the coming weeks.

The Democrats are not well known and an advertising campaign could prove crucial in winning the nomination. Roys last week said she would be on the air “very shortly.”

Walker is expected to vastly outperform his Democratic rivals when it comes to fundraising. He has raised more than $20 million since he was reelected in 2014.

Also seeking the Democratic nomination are state Schools Superintendent Tony Evers; lawyer Josh Pade; and state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of Alma. None responded by deadline to requests for totals in the absence of filed reports.

McCabe raised more than $156,000 in the first half of the year and had $68,000 on hand as of June 30, according to his filing.

Since getting in the race, he has taken in more than $260,000, including $50,000 of his personal funds.

McCabe is the former head of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and a longtime advocate of campaign finance reform.

Attorney general’s race

GOP Attorney General Brad Schimel reported he raised $671,092 in the past six months — a haul buoyed by $19,500 from billionaire Diane Hendricks of Beloit. He had $1.1 million in his account as of the end of June.

His opponent, Josh Kaul, a former federal prosecutor and son of former Democratic Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager, has raised $590,635 in that time, and has $679,422 on hand as of June 30.

Schimel is seeking a second term at a time when Democrats and Kaul are using Schimel’s efforts to identify and test evidence related to sexual assaults against him — arguing he has moved too slowly in testing the sexual assault evidence kits that had been sitting in hospitals and law enforcement departments across the state for decades.

The Republican Attorneys General Association, which this week released ads seeking to blunt the criticism, gave Schimel $44,000 in the last six months, according to his report.

Supreme Court race

State appeals court Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer raised more than $358,000 in her bid to join the state Supreme Court next year, including $250,000 of her own money, her filing showed.

Neubauer is the only candidate to announce a run for the high court since Justice Shirley Abrahamson announced she would not seek another term.

State treasurer’s race

Eau Claire businesswoman and Democratic candidate for state treasurer Sarah Godlewski raised nearly $240,000 over the past six months, although that includes a $150,000 loan from herself.

Godlewski spent almost $24,000 over that same period giving her $216,000 on hand.

Candidates from both parties are seeking the position, with incumbent Republican Matt Adamczyk deciding to run for representative of the 14th Assembly District.

Democrat Cynthia Kaump, former communications director for the state treasurer’s office, raised $16,000 while Republican Jill Millies raised more than $4,000.

Republican candidate Travis Hartwig and Democratic candidate Dawn Marie Sass had not filed their reports as of Monday afternoon.

Hartwig was fired earlier this month from his job at U.S. Bank after the company told him his candidacy would be a conflict of interest for the company. U.S. Bank is seeking a contract with the state that could result in $10 million worth of business.