Candidate war chests: Walker, Dunleavy, Begich, Treadwell

A LOOK AT WHO HAS CAMPAIGN CASH AT THIS STAGE

BEGICH SURPRISES WITH CASH: Mark Begich, the Democrat running for governor, may have gotten in the race at the last hour of filing on June 2, but he has raised significant cash on a per-day basis, more per-day than the sitting governor, for a total of $133,373.

That’s the amount Begich has had to work with these past few weeks for his campaign sprint to the Primary election, where he faces a vacant opponent: Gov. Bill Walker fled the Democrats’ ticket when Begich jumped in; Walker will appear on the November ballot as a petition candidate.

Begich has been careful with his cash, spending only $38,000 so far on signs and a campaign headquarters, as well as all the set up and coffee needed to run a campaign. He’s working with about $95,000, although as a Democrat he will get Democratic Governors Committee funds after the primary.

WALKER HAS THE MOST MONEY: Gov. Walker has been campaigning and raising money at least since formally announcing his candidacy last summer, and his campaign is a well-oiled machine that has raised $220,558 since his year-start report.

He brought forward $100,000 from his 2014 campaign, and he’s had close to $500,000 in donations at his disposal during this campaign cycle.

But his expenditures — including a major purchase of a poll — have drained it significantly and much of his money has been spent raising more money, which he will need for the General Election. Walker is working with $337,155 cash on hand, according to APOC, significantly more cash on hand than Begich.

DUNLEAVY’S STANDING TALL ARMY: Mike Dunleavy’s campaign has raised close to $270,000 from over 1,000 donors, and he notes his average contribution is about $200, coming from everyday Alaskans.

Some $163,000 was raised since the start of his campaign, which had been put on hold for several months due to a health issue last fall. He entered 2018 with a clean bill of health but also a cash shortage on the campaign front.

The only one running for governor who has not held statewide elected office, he has had lower name recognition, and much of his effort has been to build that.

Dunleavy is also the only candidate that has a significant independent expenditure group working for his candidacy. Dunleavy for Alaska, separate from his campaign, has more than $700,000, it reported today, with $61,000 raised in the last 10 days.

TREADWELL: Mead Treadwell’s independent expenditure group has raised $31,550 and spent $22,149. Treadwell, a Republican, former lieutenant governor and former U.S. Senate candidate, joined the race on the last day possible, June 2. He has yet to report his campaign donations as of 5:30 pm.

MALLOTT: In the lieutenant governor’s race, Byron Mallott raised $102,238 since his year-start report. He raised a total of $256,822 and spent $198,548, leaving him with just $58,274 as he heads toward the November ballot, where he will be a petition candidate.

MEYER: Kevin Meyer’s campaign for lieutenant governor has amassed $106,803 total, with $23,498 of that coming in the 30-day report.

GATTIS: Lieutenant governor candidate Lynn Gattis raised $4,630 and brought her campaign total to $46,885 for the crowded Republican primary. She has spent $34,800.

GRUNWALD:  Edie Grunwald’s lieutenant governor campaign treasury has grown to $103,476, with the addition of over $61,598 since the year-start report.

HAWKINS:  Scott Hawkins reported raising $25,000, although he has now dropped from the race. His total war chest was $242,208 before he exited, but he spent $144,600 and change. The independent group working to elect Hawkins reports raising a total of $17,000.

SHELDON: Michael Sheldon of Petersburg is reporting $1,713 raised since the year-start report. He has raised a total of $2,038 in his campaign.

Gerald Heikes, a candidate for governor, reported just two cents to the Alaska Public Offices Commission. It was for interest earned on a $300 campaign bank account.

Candidates across the state must file their 30-day reports by today, and many have been appearing in the Alaska Public Offices Commission database over the past week. But all the gubernatorial candidates and lieutenant governor candidates held off reporting until the deadline day.