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Candidates make a big deal out of where their campaign donations come from, but once they get their money, where does it go? The News Tribune reviewed the most recent Federal Election Commission filings for 8th District candidates to find out.
Note that the majority of the spending in this race has come from outside groups, most notably $7 million opposing Democrat Joe Radinovich and more than $900,000 opposing Republican Pete Stauber, according to data collected by the Center for Responsive Politics. An additional $1.1 million was spent in support of Radinovich and $256,000 spent to support Stauber, according to the most recent data available.
The numbers below reflect the campaigns themselves unless otherwise noted.
Total spent
Joe Radinovich: $1.6 million Pete Stauber: $1.1 million
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Skip Sandman: $16,609
Top recipients
Stauber
SRCP Media, $332,184
OnMessage Inc, $113,500
Watts, $79,963
Pinnacle Direct, $74,143
Gusto, $62,408
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Radinovich
Omnicom Capital, $1,181,601
Ralston Lapp Media, $51,133
United Strategies, $42,700.00
Actblue Technical Services, $42,458
Victoria Research & Consulting $40,500
Largest single expenditure
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Radinovich: $298,717 to Omnicom Capital. Oct. 9
Stauber: $54,635 to SRCP Media. Oct. 11
Smallest single expenditure
Stauber: $1.96 to FEC Financial Inc. Dec. 4, 2017.
Radinovich: $1.45 to Facebook June 7.
Social media spending
Radinovich: Facebook, $2,945
Stauber: Facebook, $488
Top outside spending sources:
Congressional Leadership Fund - $3.9 million. Pro-Stauber/Anti-Radinovich
America First Action - $3.2 million. Pro-Stauber/Anti-Radinovich
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee - $1.2 million. Pro-Radinovich/Anti-Stauber
House Majority PAC - $531,000. Pro-Radinovich/Anti-Stauber
NRA - $188,000. Pro-Stauber/Anti-Radinovich
