National GOP devotes $938K to Coleman fight

By BRIAN BAKST , Associated Press

Last update: June 23, 2009 - 3:54 PM

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - The fundraising committee for Senate Republicans invested heavily in Norm Coleman's ongoing battle in Minnesota, directing $938,000 to the race in May alone.

A new campaign report from the National Republican Senatorial Committee shows it paid almost $600,000 in legal bills for the former senator and gave home-state Republicans $300,000 to help them press on.

Coleman is awaiting word from Minnesota's Supreme Court on whether Democrat Al Franken's 312-vote lead will stand. The race has languished nearly eight months beyond Election Day.

The NRSC raised about $250,000 in May toward the Minnesota recount, including seven checks for the $30,400 maximum.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee didn't itemize its Minnesota-related expenses in the same fashion as the NRSC, but a spokesman said the DSCC had $5,000 in recount expenses for May.

The Democratic committee reported raising $282,000 for the recount. Three donors were at or near the $30,400 maximum.

These were the first monthly reports from the national committees reflecting significant activity in Minnesota's race.

In late March, the Federal Election Commission said national party committees can tap their donor bases for five-figure checks toward a recount and election contest fund. The donations don't count against contribution limits for general campaigning by the entities.

The maximum donation to the national parties is many times what Franken and Coleman can solicit on their own.

Since November, the Democratic and Republican state parties covered $2 million in legal fees for the race and paid additional expenses of people they hired to help monitor the recount.

The candidates won't report their fundraising again until mid-July. To date, they've put a combined $50 million into the race, which covers the traditional campaign and the legal battle that followed.

Franken is due to appear Thursday at a Minneapolis fundraiser that seeks contributions of up to $5,000.

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