(Source: MIRS.news, Published 12/08/22) In a classic case of too little too late, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon outraised Gov. Gretchen Whitmer 2:1 in the last two weeks of this cycle's campaign, but, in the end, the Democratic incumbent still outraised her opponent $38 million to $8.8 million, based on numbers compiled by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network (MCFN).
The post-general election campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State Thursday showed Dixon raised $2 million between Oct. 24 and Nov. 28, when many traditional Republican donors such as John Rakolta, Eileen Weiser, Nancy Kennedy and Mark Meijer maxed out to Dixon.
By comparison, Whitmer's team raised $1.16 million in this stretch, but, by Oct. 24, she had already spent $30 million of the $36.4 million she had raised.
When adjusted for inflation, Dixon raised less than any Republican gubernatorial candidate since John Engler's $3.65 million 1998 re-election bid.
Overall, Dixon's $8.8 million is slightly over the nearly $6 million Republican Dick Posthumus raised in his 2002 gubernatorial race, based on MCFN data. In today's dollars, Posthumus raised $9.94 million.
The GOP's 2006 nominee, Windquest Group CEO Dick DeVos raised $42.5 million, of which most came from his own pocket.
Former Gov. Rick Snyder, also independently wealthy, raised $12 million in 2010 and $13.1 million in 2014. The 2018 nominee, former Attorney General Bill Schuette, reported raising $10 million, according to the MCFN.
In other news from Thursday's reports:
- Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson set a new fundraising record for a Secretary of State candidate by raising $5.3 million for her re-election bid. Republican opponent Kristina Karamo raised $1.28 million.
In the reporting period ending Nov. 28, Benson's committee raised more than $207,000, of which 98% were contributions of $100 or less. She finished her campaign with less than $600,000 in cash on hand.
- Attorney General Dana Nessel outraised Republican Matt DePerno $5.79 million to $1.4 million in what was a record-breaking haul for an Attorney General candidate.
Nessel raised $1.97 million in her 2018 bid. She has $107,713 in terms of her final cash on hand, while DePerno has $76,758.
By comparison, Whitmer has $2.3 million left in her campaign account, Dixon has $741,212, Benson $598,666 and Karamo $50,016.
- All of the four major-party Supreme Court justice candidates raised roughly the same amount of money based on the post-general report.
Incoming Justice Kyra Bolden raised the most with $1.14 million, incumbent Justice Brian Zahra raised $997,484, Republican candidate Paul Hudson raised $834,641 and incumbent Justice Richard Bernstein was at $730,255.
- Reproductive Freedom For All, the group supporting a yes vote on Proposal 3, raised twice that of the no-Proposal 3 group, Citizens to Support MI Women and Children, $44.3 million to $20.7 million.
- Promote the Vote 2022, the key group pushing a yes vote on the voting expansion initiative supporting Proposal 2, raised $20.5 million. Those supporting a yes on Proposal 1, Voters For Transparency and Term Limits, raised $1.3 million while "No More Time For Career Politicians" raised $66,894.
