ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota lawmakers who took a political risk by supporting same-sex marriages have seen big increases in their campaign coffers.
The Star Tribune (https://strib.mn/1gDZvGT ) analyzed reports made public Saturday and found that House members whose 2013 votes went against most in their party took in as much as quadruple the cash they raised in 2011. The influx of cash could be helpful if these lawmakers face strong challengers or backlash for their votes.
Richard Carlbom, a spokesman for Minnesota United, which lobbied for same-sex marriages, said his group and its allies helped raise $500,000 to support officials who voted for same-sex marriage. The new reports show that some lawmakers saw a clear impact.
When comparing all funds raised by House members in 2011 with those in 2013, the numbers double. But 13 lawmakers who voted for same-sex marriage in Republican districts or in districts where voters didn’t approve of legalizing gay marriage brought in 2½ times as much in 2013 as they did in 2011.
For example, Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, supported same-sex marriage against the majority of his district. He took in nearly $54,000 last year - four times what he raised in 2011. The cash could help against a potential challenger, he said, and could also help other Republicans as the GOP tries to take majority in the House this year.
Republican Rep. Dave FitzSimmons of Albertville also voted to legalize same-sex marriage. He raised $26,000 last year - and gave almost all of it to GOP groups.
“I believe that my No. 1 job is to represent the interest of my district, and their interests would be best represented with a change in leadership in the Minnesota House,” FitzSimmons said.
DFL Rep. Joe Radinovich of Crosby started this year with about half of the $44,000 he’d raised left in the bank. He also voted in favor of same-sex marriage, even though 62 percent of the voters in his district voted to ban it in 2012.
Radinovich said donors appreciated his vote on same-sex marriage, and other votes that “took some courage.” But his chance of re-election don’t rest on fundraising alone.
“I don’t think that raising a lot of money is what’s going to keep me in office,” Radinovich said.
House members of both parties have well-financed caucus campaign committees heading into elections.
Reports filed last week show that the House Republican campaign committee raised $1 million and had $523,000 left to spend. Television and radio billionaire Stanley Hubbard donated $75,000, while former Target CEO Robert Ulrich and Starkey Labs CEO William Austin each gave $25,000.
The House DFL campaign committee raised $1.2 million and had $638,000 left. It raised $70,000 from the Laborers District Council of MN & ND, $30,000 from the Minnesota Association for Professional Employees union, and $100,000 from DFL donor Alida Messinger, Gov. Mark Dayton’s ex-wife.
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Information from: Star Tribune, https://www.startribune.com
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