Ernst leads GOP field in fundraising race
If campaign contributions are any indicator of political clout, Red Oak’s Joni Ernst has established herself as the leading Republican candidate in Iowa’s U.S. Senate race, raising nearly $500,000 in six months.
According to campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Ernst raised $455,171 through the end of 2013 in the race for Tom Harkin’s U.S. Senate seat. Harkin announced in 2013 he would not be seeking re-election, resulting in six Republican challengers, including Ernst, a current state senator and former Montgomery County auditor.
Joining her in the crowded GOP nomination field is Mark Jacobs, a retired energy executive who raised $410,000 in actual donations. He also contributed more than $320,000 himself, not including a $200,000 loan.
Including those amounts, his campaign raised $931,000, but spent nearly $700,000 with an additional $232,000 in expenses undpaid.
Attorney Matt Whitaker raised $280,000 in contributions, adding an additional $50,000 candidate loan while radio host and college professor Sam Clovis has raised $162,000. Attorney Paul Lunde and car salesman Scott Schaben all raised less than $15,000.
By contrast, the lone Democratic candidate, Bruce Braley, has raised more than $4.2 million, spending $1.6 million through the end of the year.
Of the money raised for Ernst’s campaign, most of it came from individual contributions, $385,204 of which was itemized in the FEC report.
An additional $6,000 came from “other committee contributions” and Ernst herself donated $2,600 to the campaign.
During the same time, Ernst spent $165,656 on expenses. Her largest itemized expense was $10,051, paid to a Houston-based consulting company. She also paid an additional $4,000 to an Iowa fundraising consultant.
As for individual donations:
- The largest donation was $2,600, and it was made 52 times, representing $135,200 of the $385,204 in itemized individual donations. Of those 52 donations, 19 came from Iowa. Of those 19, four came from Red Oak residents, including one each from Ernst’s husband Gail, and one each from Richard, Monica and Marilyn Culver.
- While there were several who donated $2,600 twice, one family from Stonybrook, N.Y. donated $10,400 in total. Robert and Diana Mercer each made two separate contributions of $2,600 on Sept. 10, 2013. According to campaign finance reports, Robert is a financial consultant with Renaissance Technology while Diana is a homemaker.
- Of the 180 itemized donations, 21 came from Red Oak.
- Ernst received donations from individuals in all of Iowa’s 99 counties.
“I am humbled by the generous support my campaign continues to receive from all corners of our great state. Our message to bring our shared, and genuine, Iowa values to the United States Senate is clearly resonating. As a mother, soldier and proven conservative, I am the Republican candidate who can, and will, defeat Bruce Braley next fall. I am truly thankful to each and every donor to my campaign,” said Ernst.