During the last campaign finance reporting period, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett surpassed his Republican competitors in both fundraising and the amount of cash on hand, according to the latest finance reports.
Between July 1 and Aug. 31, Barrett raised over $962,000 in donations and spent under $1.3 million, nowhere near what Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker and former congressman Mark Neumann have spent in preparation for the primary.
Barrett's spokesperson Phil Walczak said the finance results ""clearly shows the enormous enthusiasm and momentum of Tom's campaign, and, more importantly, his message: fighting for jobs and standing up for working and middle-class families.""
Walker, who has consistently outraised Barrett and Neumann, received about $826,500 and spent about $2.2 million in preparation for the primary, which was still less than the nearly $2.9 million Neumann has spent since July.
Although Neumann reported almost $2.3 million in contributions, $2.1 million was from his own pocket. However, Neumann's spokesperson Chris Lato said, ""Mark is committed 100 percent to having the resources not just for the primary next week, but for the general election in November. That will not be a problem.""
Mike McCabe, director of the non-partisan watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said the shift of the financial advantage to Barrett is ""a slight surprise, but it's not a big surprise. Tom Barrett is somebody who has been in politics for a very long time.""
However, Walker spokesperson Jill Bader was unfazed by the recent reports and said the campaign is ""feeling good.""
""We continue to have overwhelming grassroots momentum and support, unlike the Barrett/Doyle political machine who have special interest money pouring into their campaign, and congressman Neumann who, it has come to light, has leant himself now $4 million,"" Bader said.
Although Walker received the Republican party's endorsement this summer, McCabe said he in no way has the nomination in the bag.
""The primary is becoming a pretty tight contest. I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Scott Walker makes it through the primary,"" McCabe said. ""Neumann is increasingly seen as a threat.""
