Grand total for statewide races in 2012 election so far: $1.89 million

Twenty dollar bill

Primary campaigns and Vermont’s sole big ticket statewide race — the campaign for governor — are typically the contests that draw the most attention, and the most moolah.

This year is no different.

The governor’s race has already hit a grand total of $1.29 million — so far; while the two candidates in the Democratic primary for Vermont attorney general have raised a combined total of $282,131.

Downticket fundraising, by comparison, is small potatoes. The three competitive statewide races in play this year for lieutenant governor, state treasurer and state auditor have brought in a total of $283,279.

The grand, grand total of the amount raised for the top six statewide offices as of Aug. 15 is $1,891,511. (That figure includes standalone candidate Jim Condos, Secretary of State, who has raised $17,131, and the Republican candidate for attorney general Jack McMullen, who has brought in $18,970.)

The gubernatorial race accounts for 70 percent of all fundraising for statewide offices, and Gov. Peter Shumlin’s kitty of $836,435 accounts for 44 percent of the statewide total. (His rival, GOP candidate Sen. Randy Brock has brought in $584,923.)

What follows is a rundown of the downticket campaign finance reports from Republicans and Democrats running for office. Where does it all come from, and where does it all go? In the following report, we take a dive into the details.

Lieutenant governor

Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, the Republican incumbent, is miles ahead of his Democratic rival, Cassandra Gekas, on the fundraising front. Scott, who has been lieutenant governor for two years and previously served as a state senator for five terms, has deep connections among Vermont’s monied set. He has garnered four times more than Gekas, who is a newbie to politics.

Scott has brought in $59,316 in contributions total and $17,450 in just the past month. Gekas, meanwhile, has almost doubled her money in a month (after making a last minute decision to run on June 15). She has raised $15,305, and $8,515 of that amount came from contributors in the last 30 days.

Scott shot a third of his take, or $21,392, as of Aug. 15, and has $37,924 in hand; Gekas has spent half of her wad, or $7,122, and has $8,183 in the kitty.

The two candidates have attracted very different sets of donors: Scott has strong business backing, while Gekas has received a number of contributions from lawmakers.

Scott’s major expenditures

$1,450 to Rep. Patti Komline, R-Dorset, his campaign manager
$4,000 to Studio Four Nine for development of his campaign website;
$1,755 for T-shirt printing
$200 for an office rental
$398 for Facebook advertising
$887 to Quarry Grill & Tavern for a fundraiser
$12,574 for mailings

Gekas’ major expenditures

$4,884 on campaign payroll and mileage for employees: Scott Kirby, Alex Noss and Kristin Brownlow
$1,000 to NGP Van, Inc., a donor management, finance compliance and social media company
$1,000 to Jeremiah Johnson for website development

Prominent Scott supporters:

Individuals
Winthrop Smith, former executive vice president of Merrill Lynch & Co., chairman and CEO of Summit Ventures, which owns Sugarbush resort, $2,000
Barry Chouinard, owner of Comfort Colors in Northfield, $2,000
Ralph Colin, Republican activist, $1,000
Glen Wright, retired accountant and Republican activist, $1,000

Jeffrey L. Davis, $1,000
Robert T. Gannett, former Republican House representative, $500
George Bond, $500
George Milne, $500
Ernest Pomerleau, real estate developer, $500
David Coates, retired managing partner at KPMG, $500
Mary Alice McKenzie, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, $500

Lawmakers, government officials
Sen. Dick Mazza, $500
Thomas Lauzon, mayor of Barre, $2,000

Unions, associations, lobbyists
Professional Firefighters of Vermont, Inc., $250
KSE Partners, $500

Businesses
G.W. Plastics, $1,500
Capitol Earthmoving, Inc., $1,000
Barrett Trucking Co., Inc., $1,000
Demag Riggers & Crane Service, Inc., $1,000
The Sporn Co., which owns Perrywinkle’s Fine Jewelry, $1,000
Technology Park Partners, $1,000
Rearch Company, property management company $1,000
Monsanto, $500
Fecteau Residential, $500
Nicom Coatings Corp., $500
Bolduc Auto Salvage, $500
DEW Construction, Corp., $500
Lamberton Electric, $250
WVMT/WXXX/Sison Broadcasting, Inc., $150
Clarendon and Pittsford Railroad Co., $250

In-kind donations
Jet Service Envelope, mailing, $2,256
Casella Waste Systems, food and beverages, $1,500
DuBois Construction, Scott’s company, mileage, $1,263

Political Action Committees/Parties
Rutland GOPAC, $200
Vermont Republican Federal Election Committee, $1,000

Prominent Gekas supporters

Individuals
David Blittersdorf, wind developer and founder of AllEarth Renewables, $2,000
Scott Kirby, campaign manager, $2,000
Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, $1,000
Duane Peterson, VPIRG board chair, $250
Melinda Moulton, real estate developer, $100

Cassandra Gekas spoke with reporters at her campaign launch. VTD Photo/Taylor Dobbs

Lawmakers, state government officials
Sen. Hinda Miller, $1,000
Rep. Maxine Grad, $750
John Treadwell, assistant attorney general, $200
Sen. Anthony Pollina, $100
Rep. Tony Klein, $100
Sen. Claire Ayer, $100
Rep. Betty Nuovo, $100

Unions, associations, lobbyists
Bob Sherman, KSE Partners, $250

State treasurer

Democrat Beth Pearce, who was appointed to the post of state treasurer, has raised three times more than her rival, Wendy Wilton, the city treasurer of Rutland who is a Republican and former state senator.

Pearce has generated $95,485 in donations from 290 contributors. In this reporting cycle, she raised $11,540, and loaned herself $3,000.

Wilton has received $34,634 in contributions from 128 entities and individuals, and more than half of her money was donated in the last 30 days.

Gov. Peter Shumlin has made an especial effort to help Pearce, who has never before run for office, raise money, according to several sources, and that’s borne out in the reports. Riding the governor’s coattails seems to be working for Pearce; many of the governor’s own contributors have also given the state treasurer a boost.

Consultants are key players in Pearce’s race. She has spent $29,424, or about a third of her campaign money on advice from political experts.

Pearce’s major expenditures

$12,000 to Burlington-based Theseus Advisors, LLC, for political consulting services
$6,000 to Sam Winship (former campaign manager for Steven Howard who lost a 2010 bid for lieutenant governor) for fundraising consulting fees
$5,450 to NGP VAN, a donor management, finance compliance and social media company
$4,500 to Paul Tencher (former campaign manager for 2010 Democratic gubernatorial primary candidate Deb Markowitz) for fundraising consulting
$3,250 to the Vermont Democratic Party for rental and software services and event sponsorship
$3,000 in consulting fees to Aplomb Consulting, a Burlington-based firm that provides planning, social marketing services for clients. Aplomb has worked with politicians, health groups, AIDs organizations and gay and lesbian groups from around the country.
$3,117 for a mailing
$2,025 to HearForward, a Burlington-based company, for web and social media services
$3,435 in payroll expenses for campaign staff
$1,500 in consulting fees to Selene Hofer-Shall
$1,102 NEKInfo Associates, website design
$399, Klose Communications, a Washington, D.C. “branding” firm that has worked for Gov. Peter Shumlin and Rep. Peter Welch

Wilton’s major expenditures

Though the Rutland city treasurer lists a page full of items and services she’s paid for, she doesn’t list amounts. Though she noted she has spent $12,998 on her campaign — she’s held several events, purchased marketing materials like T-shirts and banners and even bus signs in Burlington — none of the expenditures appeared to be itemized for the last reporting period. On Monday afternoon, Wilton said the amount column was submitted in red ink and apparently didn’t show up in copies made by the Secretary of State’s office.

For the July 15 deadline, she reported:
$2,266 to JC Image for marketing materials
$1,613 to Awesome graphics for website, stickers, palm cards
$500 to Vermont Business Magazine for advertising

Prominent Pearce supporters

Individuals
John F. McQuillan, Jr., President & CEO, Triumvirate Environmental, Somerville, Mass., $2,000
David Blittersdorf, wind developer and founder of AllEarth Renewables, $2,000
Margaret and David Coates, $1,500
Crea Lintilhac, $1,000
Kathy Hoyt, former secretary of the Agency of Administration for Gov. Madeleine Kunin, $1,000
Barbara Carris, wife of Sen. Bill Carris, $1,000

Bill Kilmartin, $1,000
Mary and Tom Evslin, the former head of the Vermont Telecommunications Authority and chief technology officer for Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, together gave $700
Jo Bradley, CEO of VEDA, $500
Ernie Pomerleau, real estate developer, $500
Jake Perkinson, chair of the Vermont Democratic Party, $500
Eric Miller, lawyer with Sheehey, Furlong and Behm, husband of Elizabeth Miller, commissioner of the Department of Public Service, $500
Eugene Stetson, national Democratic donor, $500
Charles “Tuck” Rainwater, director of government relations for Comcast, $500
Mary Alice McKenzie, Campaign for Vermont founder and executive director of the Burlington Boys and Girls Club, $500
Leslie Cadwell, attorney for Gravel and Shea, special counsel for the Department of Public Service, $500
Wendy Love, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, $250
Martha and Tim O’Connor, head of the Vermont Lottery Commission and former House Speaker, respectively, $250
Chris Dutton, CEO of VELCO, $250
Joel Cook, executive director of Vermont-NEA, $250
Paul Bruhn, executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, $250
Don Vickers, CEO of VSAC, $200
Ellen Kahler, executive director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, $200
Steve Terry, former GMP executive and a board member of the Vermont Journalism Trust, $200
Gaye Symington, former House Speaker, $200
Former Gov. Madeleine Kunin, $200
Former Gov. Phil Hoff, $200
Duane Peterson, chair of VPIRG board, $200
Brian Shupe, executive director of the Vermont Natural Resources Council, $150

Lawmakers, government officials
Welch for Congress, $2,000
Spaulding for Treasurer, $1,000
Richard E. Neal Congress committee (Mass.), $1,000
John Treadwell, assistant attorney general, $500
Rep. Maxine Jo Grad, $500
Rep. Paul Rahlston, $500
Steve Kimbell, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, $500
Rep. Ann Manwaring, $250
Jennifer Hollar, deputy commissioner of the Department of Economic, Housing and Community Affairs $250,
Ron Shems, chair of the Natural Resources Board, $200
Miro Weinberger, mayor of Burlington, $200
Sen. Hinda Miller, $200
Annie Noonan, commissioner of the Department of Labor, $200
Rep. Kathleen Keenan, $200
Rep. Tim Jerman, $150
Sen. Ann Cummings, $150
Rep. Sarah Edwards, $101

Unions, associations, lobbyists
Vermont Troopers Association, $2,000
Vermont-NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, $2,000
DRIVE Committee (International Brotherhood of Teamsters), $1,000, Washington, D.C.
Jeanne Kennedy, lobbyist for CIGNA, GMP, $200
Tim Meehan, lobbyist for MacLean, Meehan, Rice, $250
Andrew MacLean, lobbyist for MacLean, Meehan, Rice, $150
John Shullenberger, lobbyist for Sirotkin and Necrason, $125

Businesses
Main Street Landing, $500
Lake Shore Drive Shopping Plaza, $200
The Sultana Group, Sen. Hinda Miller, $300

Political Action Committees/Parties
Fire PAC, International Association of Fire Fighters, $750
Local 693 PAC Fund

Prominent Wilton supporters

Individuals
Lenore F. Broughton, large Republican donor, $2,000
Raymond and Eileen Gadue, owners of Raymond Gadue’s Inc., a pipe and pipefitting manufacturing company in St. Albans, $2,000
Joyce Errecart, former Shelburne House representative, $2,000
Richard and Jody Wilcox, owners of Wilcox Pharmacy, Inc., specialty medical store,$2,000
Ralph Colin, Republican activist, $1,000
Bob and Judi Sherman, $1,000
Gene Richards/Spruce Mortgage, $1,000
Barry Chouinard, owner of Comfort Colors in Northfield, $1,000
R. George & Hazel Pratt, owners of Bradford Oil Co., $1,000
John and Nancy Goodrich, CEO of Weidmann Systems International and founding partner of Campaign for Vermont, $500

Rutland City Treasurer Wendy Wilton addressed supporters at the launch of her campaign for state treasurer. VTD Photo/Taylor Dobbs

Lawrence Reilly, former CEO of CVPS, $500
Hull Maynard, former state senator, $200
Walter Freed, former House Speaker, $200
Dan McAuliffe, dermatologist, anti-single-payer activist, $200
John McClaughry, founder of the Ethan Allen Institute, a free market think tank, $200

Businesses
RMG Stone Products, Rutland Marble & Granite Co., $200
Glenwood Movieplex Corp., owned by Sen. Kevin Mullin, $150

Political Action Committees/Parties
Rutland GOPAC

State auditor

The state auditor’s office is an open race. Tom Salmon, the Republican who has held the seat for the last four years is stepping down. Doug Hoffer, who is on the Democratic and Progressive tickets, is making a second bid for the seat (he lost to Salmon in 2010). State Sen. Vince Illuzzi, R/D-Essex-Orleans, is running against Hoffer. It is Illuzzi’s first statewide race after 32 years in the Golden Dome.

Some of the same Democratic donors to the Shumlin campaign haven’t openly endorsed Illuzzi, but they’ve tacitly opened their checkbooks for the maverick Republican. Traditional GOP funders have also backed Illuzzi.

With the support of big center and right of center names, Illuzzi has brought in $33,883 in contributions out of $76,504 in campaign funding. The rest of the money has come from his Senate and Essex County state’s attorney campaigns ($17,621) and out of his own pocket ($25,000).

Hoffer, too, has put his own money on the wager, with a $10,000 personal loan. He has brought in $27,035 in total contributions from donors, including $1,187 from his previous campaign.

The Vermont State Employees Association’s political awareness committee has backed both horses, if unevenly. The Vermont Political Awareness Committee gave $800 to Illuzzi and $400 to Hoffer.

Hoffer has spent $8,406 so far, including $3,081 on lawn signs, $600 to David Barron for design work, $263 on Facebook advertising, $1,657 on printing and postage.

Illuzzi, meanwhile, has spent $9,821, most of it on on social media campaigns ($1,995 to HearForward), and mailings and printing ($4,488).

Prominent Hoffer supporters

Individuals
Barbara Grimes, general manager of Burlington Electric Dept., $1,000
Diana Bingham, Democratic donor, $1,500
David Blittersdorf, founder of AllEarth Renewables, $500
Elaine McCrate, UVM professor of economics, $500
Jane Knodell, UVM professor of economics, $500

Doug Hoffer. Courtesy photo

Elizabeth Skarie, Democratic donor, $500
Steve Hingtgen, Progressive Party activist, $400
Beal P. Hyde, Democratic donor, $350
Ellen Oxfeld, professor of anthropology at Middlebury College, $300
Ellen Kahler, executive director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, $250
John Franco, Progressive Party activist, $200
Martha Abbott, chair of Progressive Party, $200
Shanna Ratner, economic development consultant, $200
Leigh Seddon, founder of SolarWorks, $200
Crea Lintilhac, Democratic donor, $200
Phil Fiermonte, staffer for Sen. Bernie Sanders, $150

Lawmakers, government officials
Kitzmiller for Montpelier, $200
Rep. Tim Jerman, $200

Political Action Committees
Vermont Political Awareness committee, Vermont State Employees Association political action committee, $400

Prominent Iluzzi supporters

Individuals
Francis Azur, president of Atm Corporation of America, mortgage lender, $1,000
Melanie Gefert, vice president of Atm Corporation of America, mortgage lender, $1,000
Bruce Lisman, founder of Campaign for Vermont, $1,000
Peter and Julie Murphy, Murphy Real Estate, $1,000

Vince Illuzzi hands in nominating petitions to seek the state auditor office Thursday. VTD/Alan Panebaker

Bernard Murphy, Murphy Real Estate, $1,000
David Coates, former managing partner of KPMG in Burlington, $1,000
Glen Wright, retired accountant and Republican activist, $500
Patrick Robins, founder of Symquest, $500
David Blittersdorf, AllEarth Renewables, $300
Hazel and George Pratt, owners of Bradford Oil Co., $250
David Sleigh, defense attorney, $250
James Mulkin, owner of JM & MM property management in Newport, $250
Tom Torti, head of Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce, $250
Paul Bruhn, executive director of the Preservation Trust of Vermont, $200
John Fitzhugh, CEO of Union Mutual of Vermont, $200

Lawmakers, government officials
Sen. Hinda Miller, $1,000
Rep. Heidi Scheuerman, $200

Political Action Committees/Parties
Vermont Political Awareness committee, Vermont State Employees Association political action committee, $800
Vermont Renewable Energy PAC, $150

Unions, associations or lobbyists
DRIVE Committee (Teamsters local 597), $3,000
Adam Necrason, lobbyist with Sirotkin and Necrason, $500
Professional Firefighters of Vermont, $500
KSE Partners, $400
Andrew Maclean, lobbyist with Maclean Meehan Rice, $250
Shawn Shouldice, lobbyist with Capitol Connections, $200
Vermont Distributors Association, $200 (supported Illuzzi’s 2010 Senate bid, according to followthemoney.org)

Businesses
FairPoint, $1,000
Mullin Ins. Agency, $1,000
Manosh Properties, $1,000
The Hill Farm, owned by Frank Cioffi, president of Greater Burlington Industrial Corp., $500

Correction: Lt. Gov. Phil Scott served 10 years in the state senate, not two as previously reported.