LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Organizers of a ballot drive aimed at ending partisan gerrymandering raised $13.8 million over three months — dwarfing the opposition — while Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer outraised and outspent her Republican rival Bill Schuette since the primary.
Those are some key takeaways from Michigan’s latest campaign-finance reports that were due Friday. Much of the money is being used for a blitz of TV, radio and online ads ahead of next week’s election.
A look at the filings, which in some cases include updated totals from late contributions flowing in by the day:
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REDISTRICTING GROUP MAKES IT RAIN
Voters Not Politicians, the group backing a constitutional amendment to empower an independent commission to draw congressional and legislative districts, collected $13.8 million last quarter, bringing its total to $15.3 million. The largest contributions came from two out-of-state organizations — the Washington, D.C.-based Sixteen Thirty Fund ($5.5 million) and the Action Now Initiative ($5.1 million). The Sixteen Thirty Club is not required by federal regulations to disclose its donors. The Action Now Initiative was started by Texas billionaires John and Laura Arnold.
The Proposal 2 opposition group, Protect My Vote, raised $3.6 million — largely from the Michigan Freedom Fund, a conservative group whose chairman is a longtime political adviser to the DeVos family.
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WHITMER OUTPACES SCHUETTE
Whitmer, a former legislative leader, has raised more and spent more than Schuette, the state attorney general. She spent $4.6 million to his $2.9 million between the primary and Oct. 20 — about what they collected in that period, though Schuette loaned his campaign $325,000. Whitmer had raised $12 million for the cycle, Schuette more than $8 million. She also had more cash on hand for the closing stretch.
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POT OPPONENTS STEP UP FUNDRAISING
Foes of a ballot initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use are catching up with the “yes” side. Healthy and Productive Michigan took in $1.4 million, for a total of $1.6 million. More than $1 million was donated by SAM Action, a sister group to Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Alexandria, Virginia-based SAM says its funding overwhelmingly comes from people whose lives have been hurt by drugs. Other donations were made by Michigan-based companies such as Dow Chemical and ITC Holdings.
The pro side of Proposal 1, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, collected $750,000. The total is now $1.8 million, not including more than $700,000 in earlier in-kind help for petition gathering and other work from groups such as the Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project. A major source of funding for proponents is the New Approach PAC, which is funded by Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps in Vista, California, and Daniel Lewis, a Florida retiree whose late billionaire brother, a former Progressive Insurance CEO, gave heavily to pro-marijuana legalization efforts.
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VOTING RIGHTS ATTRACTS MONEY
Organizers of Proposal 3 to expand voting options and reinstate the straight-party ticket option raised $1.6 million, for a total of $4.4 million. Big donors in the last quarter were the Michigan League of Conservation Voters ($800,000) and Stacy Schusterman, CEO of Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Samson Energy ($500,000). The American Civil Liberties Unions has provided $2.8 million in financial and other support.
The group opposed to the redistricting initiative is also against the voting measure but is focusing its efforts to defeat the gerrymandering proposal.
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DEMS HAUL IN CASH FOR U.S. HOUSE RUNS
Democrats running for two GOP-leaning U.S. House seats are trouncing their opponents, including an incumbent congressman, according to federal reports that were due Thursday. Elissa Slotkin raised $6.2 million as of Oct. 17, double Republican Rep. Mike Bishop’s $3.1 million in the 8th District that stretches between Lansing and northwestern Oakland County.
In the 11th District that covers parts of Oakland and Wayne counties, Democrat Haley Stevens collected $3.1 million to Republican Lena Epstein’s $2.3 million in their race to succeed retiring Rep. Dave Trott.
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LEONARD, BENSON LEAD IN FUNDRAISING
Republican attorney general candidate Tom Leonard and Democratic secretary of state nominee Jocelyn Benson are outspending their opponents in the battle for two seats opening due to term limits. Leonard raised $521,000 in five weeks, while Democrat Dana Nessel brought in $484,000. Overall, he had collected more as of Oct. 21 — $2 million to her $1.6 million — but she had more in reserves.
Republican Mary Treder Lang raised $352,000 in the most recent reporting period, while Benson took in $263,000. But Benson had doubled up Treder Lang overall, $1.4 million to $671,000.
