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By Kirsten Adshead and Ryan Ekvall | Wisconsin Reporter
POLITICAL SPENDING: Four congressional candidates are dishing out funds for consulting, advertising and fundraising.
MADISON — Helping politicians make money can be a lucrative career.
That’s one of several lessons emerging as Wisconsin Reporter peruses the campaign finance reports congressional candidates filed this week with the Federal Election Commission.
The reports, due Monday, cover the period from the end of July through Sept. 30.
Reports from U.S. Senate candidates are officially public but not available online yet, because senators are required to file by paper, not electronically.
But Wisconsin Reporter is studying the campaign filings, as they become available on the FEC website and will continue to provide more information in the coming days.
Consider this the starting course.
Republican freshman representing the 8th Congressional District
Raised this period: $426.275.19
Spent this period: $812,681.80
Cash on hand: $488,817.89
Ribble’s biggest expense this quarter was advertising. He gave OnMessage Inc. $232,514 on Aug. 21, and followed that up with another ad buy Sept. 15 for $382.646.19.
It pays to consult: Ribble’s campaign paid Mary Mai, of Appleton, $34,535.26 over three months, mostly for fundraising consulting.
He also spent $16,924.22 on event catering.
Republican freshman representing the 7th Congressional District
Raised this period: $513,838.03
Spent this period: $672,704.40
Cash on hand: $937,880.32
Duffy’s biggest expense, in total, was a series of payments he made to Strategic Media Placement Inc. for ad buys and related expenses, totaling $450,037.
He raised $256,575 from individuals this quarter, but also took in $216,635.93 from 105 non-political party committees, mostly political action committees.
Four-term Democrat representing the 4th Congressional District
Raised this period: $90,627
Spent this period: $115,432
Cash on hand: $66,934
On catering, Moore’s campaign spent $3,083 at Clyde’s of Gallery Place in Washington, D.C., and $4,812 at Hyatt Hotels in Chicago.
She’s added “Star” power, too. On Sept. 22, Moore’s campaign paid former “The View” host Star Jones $7,000 to speak at a ”Not for Sistah’s Only” campaign event.
Moore’s campaign also paid fundraising consultant, Christopher Trull, of Washington, D.C., $9,700. The campaign also reimbursed Trull $950 for an August stay at the Ambassador Hotel, along with other expenses, in Milwaukee.
Eight-term Democrat representing the 3rd Congressional District
Raised this period: $336,586
Spent this period: $372,577
Cash on hand: $737,725
Kind’s campaign spent $289,874 on advertising with MacWilliams Sanders Communication for placements such as this.
His campaign also spent $2,575.20 at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar in Palo Alto, Calif., for a Sept. 14 campaign event.
Contact Kirsten Adshead at kadshead@wisconsinreporter.com and Ryan Ekvall at rekvall@wisconsinreporter.com
