In the final weeks before the recall election, Governor Scott Walker’s campaign raised almost $6 million. During the same four-week period ending May 21st, Democratic challenger Tom Barrett raised almost $3.5 million.
With Walker’s recall election just six days away, finance reports filed Tuesday show that both campaigns had about the same amount of cash on hand, around $1.5 million dollars. But daily reports of large contributions showed that the Republican Walker had raised an additional $860,000 between last Wednesday and Sunday, while Barrett received an additional $261,000.
As a recall target, Walker can raise unlimited amounts to cover debts incurred before the election was officially scheduled. And his new report shows that Walker continues to bring individual donations of up to $100,000, well above the normal $10,000 limit that Barrett must follow under normal election laws. Still, Barrett spokesman Phil Walzak says their campaign is getting tremendous grass-roots support.
Walker has now raised a record-shattering $31 million dollars since January of 2011. Walker campaign spokeswoman Ciara Matthews says it reflects people’s enthusiasm for the governor’s budget changes, which included the near elimination of collective bargaining for most public unions that sparked the recall effort.
The recall election is June 5th.