From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal (h/t The Political Carnival):
Gov. Scott Walker raised an unprecedented $13.2 million over three months to fight off the recall bid against him, outdistancing his Democratic challengers and driving home the challenge they will have in beating the Republican incumbent.There's a nice chart of comparative fund-raising at the link. Here's another.
Crisscrossing the country on fundraising trips, Walker has raised more than $25 million since January 2011 and has $4.9 million in cash on hand - numbers unlike any that have been seen for a political candidate in Wisconsin. Two-thirds of Walker's money came from out of state.
His stores of cash dwarf what his Democratic rivals have raised. ... Walker's fundraising is on par with that of second-tier presidential candidates. For instance, Rick Santorum raised $18.5 million between Jan. 1 and March 31, and Newt Gingrich raised a little less than $10 million during that period.
Part of the inequity is the obvious — Walker is Money's man in the race, and Money has money to spare. But there's a trick in the law around recalls — if you're a recallee, there's a no-limit window for you. If you're a recaller, however, normal limits apply:
Normally, donors can give a maximum of $10,000 to a candidate for governor. But from the time recall petitions are taken out to the time a recall election is called, donors can give any amount.I don't blame Republicans for using a law like that — I sure would — but it's some law.
No fundraising limit was in place for Walker for about two-thirds of the period covered in the latest report. The Democrats had to follow the normal fundraising limits the whole time because they were not the targets of a recall.
Finally, we don't want to leave without mentioned this sweet guy amongst the high-roller donors listed in the article:
In addition to the $500,000 donation from Hendricks, Walker received two $250,000 donations in the latest period. One came from Las Vegas Sands president Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire casino mogul who, along with his wife, put $17.5 million into Winning the Future, a super PAC supporting Gingrich.Adelson? He's this guy (and you really do want to click; Rick Perlstein at his researching and writing best).
Also giving $250,000 was Richard DeVos, the co-founder of the parent company of direct marketing firm Amway. DeVos has been active in the school voucher movement, and Walker last year expanded Milwaukee's voucher program and established a similar one in eastern Racine County.
Oh, and school reform is not your friend, which is why DeVos is Walker's. It's a Movement Conservative Ball, a Monster Mash.
Dates to remember:
- May 8: Recall primary
- June 5: Recall election
