Gov. Scott Walker Crushes Tom Barrett in Fundraising in Sussex
Incumbent Republican governor takes in nearly $20,000 in campaign contributions from village residents, while his Democratic opponent nets about $3,100.
Whether Gov. Scott Walker or Democrat Tom Barrett will win the gubernatorial recall election — or carry Sussex, for that matter — won't be known for sure until all the ballots are counted Tuesday night.
What is known, however, is that when it comes to campaign contributions, the incumbent Republican governor has outraised the Milwaukee mayor by a more than 6-to-1 margin in Sussex.
A Patch analysis of campaign finance reports filed last week with the state Government Accountability Board shows that Walker has raised $19,554 in Sussex since January.
By comparison, Barrett took in $3,169 in Sussex since he launched his candidacy in March, campaign finance reports show.
See who is donating to Barrett and Walker with Patch's interactive database of campaign contributions
The Patch analysis looked at more than 196,000 individual contributions reported to the state — more than 152,000 records for Walker and more than 44,000 for Barrett. Those contributions totaled $16.9 million for the governor and $3.4 million for his challenger.
Christopher Shult, CEO of Sussex-based Bevco Engineering Co., is the biggest Walker contributor from the village, giving the govenor $5,000 in the recall campaign.
Other top Walker donors from Sussex are: Troy T. Mews, $1,054; John F. Berry, $1,000; Chris Daniels, $1,000; Anthony C. Wick, $600; Jefferey A. Roberts, $500.
In Susex, only one resident, Brett Eckstein, made a contribution of $1,000 to Barrett. Other top Barrett donors were: Linda Meagher, $450; Brad Lill, $125; Margaret Tennessen, $125; and Pam Rundhaug, $125.
The Patch analysis looked at individual contributions only. Money the two candidates received from political action committees and other outside groups were not included in the tally.
Walker's edge over Barrett in contributions can be found in the rest of the Milwaukee-area suburbs, according to the Patch analysis.
In all, Walker raised more than $822,000 in the 18 communities in the Patch coverage area, while Barrett took in about $259,000 in those places.
The community where residents gave the most to Walker was Waukesha, where there were more than $319,000 in donations. Barrett fared the best in Shorewood, where he took in about $60,000.
The only communities where Barrett raised more cash than Walker were Shorewood and Whitefish Bay.
Overall, 75 percent of the individual contributions to Barrett came from Wisconsin — about $2.55 million. After Wisconsin, Barrett took in about $152,000 from California and $134,000 from Illinois — each making up 4 percent of his total donations.
About 31 percent of Walker's total individual contributions were from Wisconsin — roughly $5.26 million. The governor received $1.36 million from Florida (8 percent of his total donations) and $1.23 million from California.
The $20 million or so raised by Walker and Barrett this year is just part of the estimated $62 million that has been spent so far in Wisconsin's heated recall election, according to the nonpartisan Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
According to the watchdog group, total spending is nearly double the record for a statewide race: $37.4 million set during the 2010 gubernatorial race, which was also between Walker and Barrett.
Victor Drover
6:32 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
Makes you wonder why the right always screams about "special interests" like unions "pouring" money into elections.
Justme
7:21 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
Conservative private citizens and businesses have a huge influence in this election because they passionately care about their kid's future and the long-term future of their businesses. (Jobs!) They see the forest for the trees...they get the big picture. They're more selfless and not so selfish. Besides, the unions have wasted so much of their member's earned due $ on loser dem candidates, (millions on Falk) they didn't want to pour more into another weak candidate. Obama didn't even bother to stop in Milwaukee while in campaiging in Chicago and Minnesota on Friday. Wonder if he even bothered waved to Barrett and Clinton in his flyover on Air Force 1.Too funny. Well, at least Barrett have poverty pimps Jackson and Sharpton on their side today. (heh, heh)