State's U.S. Senate race brings cash from coast to coast

Millions of dollars in campaign cash from coast to coast are fueling the race between U.S. Sen. Al Franken and his Republican challenger Mike McFadden, a clear sign of the nationwide interest in the contest that could help determine control of the U.S. Senate.

Franken managed to tap donors in all 50 states, with more than a third of his $18 million war chest coming from donors giving more than $200. McFadden got donors giving more than that amount in 44 states, with those contributions making up a little more than half of $6.5 million total.

A Star Tribune analysis of Federal Election Commission fundraising reports for donations greater than $200 — the amount at which donors must be named — shows broad swaths of support across the country for both candidates.

For Franken, the most cash-rich trove outside of Minnesota was California, where donors ponied up nearly $647,000 for a far-off candidate. For McFadden, Illinois led the pack, with contributions totaling more than $166,000.

Franken, a nationally known celebrity before running for office, had the broader reach. He raised more money than McFadden in Minnesota, but raised so much nationally that 60 percent of Franken's medium and large donations came from outside of Minnesota.

In addition to the California donations, Franken got six-figure sums in 10 other states. His lowest statewide amount was $1,930, from donors in Mississippi.

By contrast, medium and large Minnesota donors made up 63 percent of McFadden's total take. In addition to Illinois, McFadden's biggest donors came from Florida, Texas and New York. He got no money from Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, South Carolina, Vermont and Mississippi.

The geographical concentrations of those gifts are starkly different between the candidates. Franken's Minnesota donors are spread throughout the state, from full saturation in Minneapolis, St. Paul and the metro suburbs to a lighter but steady pattern of giving across southern and western Minnesota and the Iron Range.

McFadden's donors are sparser. Donations for the Sunfish Lake businessman appear strongest in the southwest metro suburbs and stretching eastward to the border, with large barren pockets in southwestern and northern Minnesota, and the I-35 corridor stretching north from the Twin Cities to Duluth. McFadden got sizable donations in the Duluth area.

Among Franken's top contributors were Garrison Keillor, author and host of "A Prairie Home Companion," and "MacGyver" star Richard Dean Anderson. McFadden's top contributors were largely in business, including Slumberland CEO Ken Larson and Best Buy founder and chairman emeritus Richard Schulze.

McFadden spokesman Tom Erickson said the donations are indicative that memories linger of Franken's 312-vote victory over former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.

"A lot of people across the country remember that this was a close race last time, and a lot of Republicans felt that Sen. Franken won only through legal means," Erickson said. "There's a lot of support for someone who's running against Sen. Franken and is not afraid to put his own ideas forward."

Franken credited his wider reach of nationwide donations compared to in-state donations to his history as a satirist, and pointed out that 97 percent of his donors give less than $100.

"And that's not a great number for me to bring up necessarily," he joked, referring to McFadden's criticisms that he votes with President Obama 97 percent of the time.

Abby Simons • 651-925-5043