Fundraising reports released Saturday from the candidates who want to be Minnesota's next governor reÂvealÂed details about their spending that previous releases did not.
Republican canÂdiÂdate Scott Honour, makÂing his first run for ofÂfice, raised about $500,000 from donors and put in $101,000 of his own cash. He spent it nearÂly as quickÂly as he raised it, largeÂly on conÂsultÂants and staff, leavÂing him with $14,000 at year's end.
Honour, a businessman who reported $1.7 million in income in 2012, said he can keep his camÂpaign in cash for the long haul.
"To win stateÂwide in Minnesota as a Republican, you have to spend the time and monÂey to build the inÂfraÂstrucÂture of a sucÂcessÂful camÂpaign and you have to be able to keep raisÂing monÂey," Honour said in a stateÂment.
State Rep. Kurt Zellers and state Sen. Dave ThompÂson, who are also vying for the GOP nod, also spent their cash at a fast clip.
Zellers raised about $400,000 and had $115,000 left. ThompÂson raised $126,000 and had $50,000 left.
FormÂer state Rep. Marty SeiÂfert and Hennepin County ComÂmisÂsionÂer Jeff Johnson were more fruÂgal. SeiÂfert brought in $150,000, inÂcludÂing a $20,000 loan from himÂself, and had most it left at the end of the year. Johnson raised $248,000 and had $169,000 left.
DFL Gov. Dayton beat them all. Dayton, who has largeÂly self-fundÂed his campaigns in the past, has put none of his perÂsonÂal funds into his re-Â eÂlecÂtion bid.
He endÂed last year with $770,000 in the bank. He raised $1.1 milÂlion from othÂers, including many who share his last name.
"It's not my favorite acÂtivÂiÂty," he said of fundraising. "But I'm doing it."
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Glenn Howatt, Abby Simons