As Minnesota campaigns for state offices heat up, public subsidies for gubernatorial and Legislative candidates have totaled $3.9 million. The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board reported Wednesday giving out the public subsidy payments to 365 candidates running for governor and other constitutional offices and the Legislature this November. Candidates have to agree to campaign expenditure limits in order to receive public subsidies, which are paid with checkoff contributions on state income and property tax forms and with general fund money. DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton, who is financing much of his campaign, is not taking public subsidies, while GOP gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer is accepting the payments. Tom Horner, the Independence Party candidate for governor, also is accepting public subsidies. Because Dayton declined to limit spending, Horner and Emmer can receive subsidies without needing to curb their spending.
The 365 candidates who received the latest round of subsidies represent 87 percent of the candidates who survived the Aug. 10 state primary election, the board said.
