The outside money is ramping up in the Minneapolis mayoral race.
Days after supporters of Mark Andrew launched a fund that allows them to pour unlimited money into the mayoral race, Betsy Hodges boosters have done the same.
The "Committee for a Greater Minneapolis" was registered yesterday in Hennepin County. It is chaired by SEIU employee Leah Solo, who has endorsed Hodges, and the treasurer is attorney Timothy Manning, who donated $500 to Hodges' campaign.
Readers will be forgiven for mistaking the group with the similarly named "Coalition for a Better Minneapolis," which launched last week in support of Andrew.
Unlike candidate commitees, which can raise $500 per person, independent expenditure groups like these can raise and spend unlimited funds to support a candidate. They cannot, however, coordinate with the cadidate's campaign.
SEIU media relations coordinator Kate Brickman, a co-chair of the group, said they would explore all mediums to get their message out, including direct mail, online ads, TV and radio.
"Our committee has a clear goal: To elect Betsy Hodges as the next mayor of Minneapolis," Brickman said. "And we think the best way to do that is by sharing Betsy's great plan for Minneapolis and why we think she's the woman for the job."
Brickman would not disclose their major donors. The committee will file a campaign finance report with Hennepin County on October 29, days before Election Day.
