I'm back like a bad penny. I spent an extra day "up North" here in Wisconsin in vacation that was supposed to last 2 days, but got extended to 3 (having a good time and getting a free room for another night was most excellent). I got back last night, and, like all good vacations that energize and exhaust at the same time, had some dinner and went to bed.
I was in a news blackout zone (except for the ubiquitous Faux Made Up Newzzzz and I don't have a laptop for internet access) and even my cell phone didn't work except for emergency calls so I've spent some time this morning catching up on what's been going on. I saw 3 Support Walker signs and 2 in support of notorious Republican State Senator (and former Majority Leader) Scott Fitzgerald on my way to and from, so my travelling RecallWalkerMobile complete with raised Wisconsin protest fist (I just love window clings!) served as mobile recall advertising in this Republican area.
Enough of that and on to the big news of the day.
Fundraising and spending in Gov. Scott Walker's recall election have already surpassed the previous record for a single political race in Wisconsin - and the primary hasn't even been held yet.
Unprecedented fundraising by Walker and heavy spending by independent groups backed by corporations and unions have already pushed the total amounts spent and raised to some $42 million, according to a Journal Sentinel analysis of state campaign finance reports and rough estimates on independent groups by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. The total counts money that already has been spent as well as money that will almost certainly be spent going forward because it has already been raised by candidates or groups.
The total is already more than the $37.4 million spent by candidates and independent groups in the 2010 governor's race, according to the Democracy Campaign, which tracks politi cal spending. Based on the spending and fundraising so far, the group's executive director, Mike McCabe, predicted Tuesday that spending in the recall race would easily top $60 million and could approach $80 million.
(emphasis mine)
Frankly, I believe spending will reach $100 million - an estimate that many political observers like John Nichols have already made.
So far, the spending and fundraising have been driven by the record totals racked up by Walker using his status as a national Republican star and a quirk in state law that allows recall targets to receive unlimited donations. Underlining that national status was a visit to Wisconsin on Tuesday by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to hold two fundraisers and a rally for Walker.
Walkers ability to raise unlimited funds ended with the certification of the recall election, however, he is still spending enormous amounts of his time out of state at fundraisers and continuing to mail appeals for donations to every mailing list in sight.
The four Democrats will be easily outspent by Walker, whose $25.3 million raised was more than 12 times the $2 million raised by all four challengers combined. In this most recent reporting period, Walker received two-thirds of his money from out of state.
"That speaks volumes as to where his support really comes from," Barrett said while campaigning in Milwaukee on Tuesday.
The monied interests are supporting Walker to the hilt which speaks volumes about whose interests he truly serves.
Since 2011, the governor has received a total of $1.4 million from Florida donors - surpassing the $994,000 that Falk has raised both from within Wisconsin and outside the state.
"That's not a governor on our side," Falk said at a campaign event in Milwaukee. Campaigning with Christie in Oak Creek, Walker didn't talk about his fundraising but he did say he had "put the power back in the hands of the people" and not in the hands of "big-government union bosses."
So, money collected from just
one state by Walker surpasses the entire amount collected by just one candidate.
Of the nearly $11 million Walker spent over three months, $4.6 million of it, or 42%, went toward mailings. Much of that money went to SCM Associates of North Carolina, a direct mail firm that lists Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney as a client.
More than $2.7 million, or about 25% of Walker's money, went to television ads.
Of course, television ads are also being purchased and run in support of Walker by outside groups such as the Republican Governors Association, Americans for Prosperity, and the Wisconsin Association of Manufacturers and more friendly sounding astroturf groups are bound to pop up with pro-Walker ads as the June 5 recall election approaches.
The Lt Governor and State Senate recalls are also causing massive spending with Republican recall targets with huge money on their side as well.
Republican Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch raised more than $540,000 and had about $235,000 on hand. Her main Democratic rival, Madison firefighter Mahlon Mitchell, raised $135,563 and had $98,949 on hand.
Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Stettin) - who got in the race late, after recall target Pam Galloway resigned from the Senate last month - raised $86,500 and had almost $79,000 on hand. That gives him more cash than Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau), who raised more than $97,000 and had about $37,000 on hand.
Sen. Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls) raised more than $102,000 and had about $195,500 on hand.
His opponent, former Rep. Kristen Dexter, raised almost exactly the same amount - just over $102,000. She had about $47,000 available for the weeks ahead. She received 17 maximum contributions of $1,000, nine of which came from the political action committees of unions.
Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau far outpaced his chief rival, Lori Compas, a Democrat from Fort Atkinson. Compas, a political newcomer, raised $104,622 and had $84,238 on hand.
Fitzgerald raised twice as much - $231,288. Past fundraising leaves him with $427,374 to fight his recall.
Among his contributions were $5,000 from Daniel McKeithan Jr., president of Tamarack Petroleum Co. Inc. Fitzgerald received donations of $1,000 from 39 individuals and political action committees. Compas got 12 donations of $1,000 each.
Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) had nearly $100,000 more on hand than his chief challenger, former Sen. John Lehman of Racine. Wanggaard had a cash balance of $191,033 while Lehman had $93,750 on hand.
All told, Wanggaard raised $130,657 while Lehman had receipts of $103,744. In all, Wanggaard received 34 contributions over $1,000 - the normal maximum for a senator not facing a recall attempt.
Lehman, who was defeated by Wanggaard in 2010, received his largest donations from political action committees. The committees, mostly unions, made donations of $12,600.
Of course the Democratic challengers are being forced, by the blatant use of fake Democrats, to use some of their limited funds for a recall primary on May 8 lessening the amount available for the actual recall election
You can follow the trail of contributions on an interactive map to see where each candidate is receiving their funds. A quick look at the map tells you that Walkers funds are coming from outside of the state despite his repeated lie meme of his opponents receiving their money from "outside forces".
It's going to be People Power vs. Money Power once again.
Here's a couple of new ads:
Barrett slamming Walker for his abominable jobs record:
And a new one for Falk:
Update: H/T to ontheleftcoast for reminding me that Ed Schultz had a nice segment last night:
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Update 2: Holy Cow Poll Update! H/T Scribeboy for being first on the scene of a breaking new poll on the Walker Recall. It's done by RWr Charles Franklin posted for Marquette University and polled registered voters:
Among registered voters, Barrett led Walker 47% to 46%. That 1-point lead was reversed when considering only likely voters, with Walker holding 48% and Barrett holding 47%.
That's "just about as close to a tie as you can possibly get," said the poll's director, visiting Marquette political science professor Charles Franklin.
In the primary, Barrett had 38%, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk had 21%, Secretary of State Doug La Follette had 8% and state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout of Alma had 6%. Nineteen percent were undecided.
Franklins last poll showed Walker victorious by more than 5 points.
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