2004 CAMPAIGN FINANCE SUMMARY - Minnesota Campaign ...

Agreement. In 2004, 311 candidates who filed for the house of representatives reported making total
campaign expenditures of $5,525,826, a 10% increase in campaign spending when compared with total
expenditures of $5,027,261 in 2002.
According to statistics compiled from candidate reports, winners outspent losers in 78% of the state
house races. There were no house districts without opposition in the general election.
Four constitutional officers who were not up for election in 2004 reported receiving $923,365 in total
contributions and reported making total campaign expenditures of $424,103. State senate office holders
reported receiving a total of $653,458 in contributions and making total campaign expenditures of
$235,310. Other candidate committees who did not file for office reported receiving $209,242 in
contributions and making total campaign expenditures of $107,632.
This summary includes selected data from reports filed by political party units, political committees and
political funds. Reports filed by 343 political party committees and 381 political committees and political
funds disclosed receipt of contributions totaling $63,357,003 from which they made total contributions of
$7,180,832 to state candidate committees and political committees and political funds.
Included in the $63,357,003:
• $7,371,139 was contributed to Democratic Farmer Labor party units which made $2,249,060 in
contributions to state candidate committees and other committees and $1,607,945 in independent
expenditures;
• $7,204,568 was contributed to Republican Party of Minnesota party units which made $420,875 in
contributions to state candidate committees and other committees and $1,251,473 in independent
expenditures;
• $32,551 was contributed to Independence Party of Minnesota party units which made $1,440 in
contributions to state candidate committees and other committees;
• $61,210 was contributed to Green Party of Minnesota party units which made $675 in contributions
to state candidate committees and other committees;
Contributions made by individuals to qualifying political party units also qualify for a refund under the PCR
program.
The summary includes a list of political committees and political funds that made independent
expenditures expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate (page 130) and
includes names of donors who contributed more than $2,000 to candidate committees, political
committees, political funds, or political party units during 2004 (page171).