LANSING, Mich. — Two millionaires have shaken up the Republican race for governor by injecting $4.5 million of their personal funds into the crowded race for the nomination, with the likelihood that there is more to come.
Oakland County businessman Kevin Rinke put $2 million of his own money into his campaign for governor in November and December, roughly matching the total amount reportedly raised by the GOP front-runner, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, reports filed Monday show.
And another millionaire businessman from Oakland County, Perry Johnson, said in a news release Monday he is pumping in just over $2.5 million to launch his candidacy, announced last week.
Rinke, who along with family members has owned Detroit-area car dealerships and other businesses, has pledged to put as much as $10 million into his bid for the state's highest office. That would exceed the roughly $6 million former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder spent from his own fortune in his successful 2010 campaign for governor. But it's still far short of the nearly $35 million west Michigan billionaire Dick DeVos spent in a losing effort against Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2006.
"We have donated significant money to the campaign fund," and "we have not run a fund-raiser yet," Rinke told the Free Press Friday.
So far, Rinke has reported spending about $537,000. Nearly all of that was spent on TV advertising, according to his report.
The news last week that Johnson has also joined the race is expected to inject considerably more self-funding into the 13-candidate Republican race. Johnson, founder of Troy-based Perry Johnson Registrars, was not required to report receipts or expenditures Monday due to his late entry to the race. But he issued a news release Monday saying he has seeded his campaign fund with just over $2.5 million.
Still, even the amounts raised by millionaire candidates continued to be dwarfed by the numbers put up by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the Democratic incumbent.
Whitmer's Monday report said she raised just over $2.5 million in the latest quarter, bringing her total amount raised to just under $19.9 million. The campaign said it spent $5.3 million in the most recent period, bringing total expenditures to just over $8 million, and leaving the governor's campaign with $9.9 million in the bank.
However, more than $3.7 million of the expenses Whitmer reported during the most recent period were not campaign expenses, but the return of excess contributions Whitmer was allowed to accept as a result of recall efforts against her. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said state law allowed Whitmer donors to exceed campaign finance limits in light of recall petitions targeting the governor, but since none of the recall elections materialized, Whitmer had to return or otherwise transfer the money that was not spent fighting recalls.
Records show Whitmer's campaign gave about $3.5 million of the excess contributions to the Michigan Democratic Party and returned $250,000 to attorney Mark Bernstein, a donor who had exceeded the campaign finance limits under the recall rules. The campaign also had about $387,000 in recall-related expenses, spokeswoman Maeve Coyle said.
The fact Whitmer was able to return excess donations to the state party remains a subject of controversy.
Tori Sachs, executive director of the conservative Michigan Freedom Fund, on Monday called it a "corrupt laundering scheme." She said that Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel have allowed it to occur because money donated to the Michigan Democratic Party will benefit their re-election campaigns, as well.
Whitmer's campaign said that when the recall expenditures and repayments are removed from the totals, the amount she has raised to date for her campaign is closer to $15.5 million, not $19.9 million.
Former Chief Craig reported raising just under $608,000 in the latest quarter and spending close to $729,000. His total fundraising for the campaign now tops $2 million, while he has spent close to $1.2 million. He reported a bank balance of close to $846,000.
Craig was one of several candidates who reported spending more money than he raised between Oct. 21 and Dec. 31. Craig did it without launching any broadcast TV ads.
Craig reported about $131,000 in payroll costs in the 10-week period, plus about $51,000 for "executive protection" services. He also paid more than $205,000 to several political, legal, communications, financial, digital and fundraising consultants, records show. The campaign spent about $122,000 on digital ads.
Kalamazoo chiropractor Garrett Soldano reported raising close to $252,000 in the most recent period, bringing his total fundraising haul to close to $1.4 million. But like Craig, Soldano spent more than he raised in the most recent quarter. His reported spending of just over $410,000 since October left him with about $315,000 in the bank, according to his report.
Norton Shores businesswoman and conservative commentator Tudor Dixon reported raising just over $158,000 in the most recent period, bringing her total amount raised to close to $506,000. The nearly $228,000 Dixon spent in the most recent period was more than the amount she raised during the 10 weeks, leaving her with just over $96,000 in the bank.
Michigan State Police Capt. Mike Brown, of Stevensville, reported raising just over $131,000 in the latest quarter, bringing his total fundraising to close to $146,000. He spent just over $10,000 in the latest period and reported a bank balance of just over $128,000. Brown has put close to $120,000 of his own money toward his campaign, in the form of a loan.
Oakland County pastor Ralph Rebandt raised just over $15,000 in the latest quarter and spent a similar amount, records show. His total fundraising has now reached just over $233,000, while his campaign has spent about $226,000. Rebandt reported a bank balance of close to $7,200. Rebandt has loaned his campaign more than $77,000.
Ottawa County real estate agent Ryan Kelley raised just over $18,000 in the latest quarter and spent a little more than $14,000, his report said. His totals since the start of the campaign are now just over $98,000 raised and close to $66,000 spent. Kelley reported cash on hand of just over $32,000.
Grand Rapids businesswoman Donna Brandenburg reported raising $1,315 during the most recent period, bringing her total amount raised to just over $41,000. She reported spending just over $26,000 during the most recent period, leaving her with about $7,500 in the bank.
Livingston County evangelist and substitute teacher Bob Scott reported raising $1,091 during the most recent period for a total amount raised of $8,528. He has spent $1,292 since October, leaving him with $300 in the bank.
Lansing businessman Evan Space; and Grand Rapids entrepreneur and U.S. Army veteran Austin Chenge had not filed campaign finance reports as of early Monday evening. Neither had Justin Giroux, a Barry County salesman who recently switched his party affiliation to Republican from Democratic.
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