Out-of-State Money Backs AG Candidates

Josh Kaul and Brad Schimel.

About half of the largest individual contributions to the major party attorney general candidates in July were from lawyers and others outside of Wisconsin, newly filed campaign finance reports show.

The reports showed that in July Democratic attorney general candidate Josh Kaul raised more than twice as much as his November opponent, GOP Attorney General Brad Schimel, who is seeking a second four-year term. Kaul accepted nearly $110,600 from individuals and committees, compared to about $45,100 raised by Schimel. Schimel is still ahead in total money raised in the campaign, with nearly $1.7 million versus Kaul’s more than $1.1 million. And, Schimel had more than $1 million in his campaign account as of July 30 compared to about $749,200 for Kaul.

The candidates’ July campaign reports also showed that both had just over a dozen contributors who gave $1,000 or more, according to a preliminary review by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. Schimel received $27,500 from 14 contributors, including seven contributors from Wisconsin who gave him $17,500 and seven from outside the state who contributed $10,000. Kaul raised nearly $22,200 from 13 contributors, including six from outside the state who gave him about $14,700 and seven from Wisconsin who contributed $7,500.

Here’s a look at the largest out-of-state contributors to both candidates in July:

Schimel

Dustin McDaniel, a Little Rock, Ark. attorney, $3,000

H. Russell Taub, a Cranston, R.I. consultant, $2,000

Samuel Skinner, a Chicago attorney, $1,000

Rob McKenna, a San Francisco attorney, $1,000

Clayton Friedman, a Newport Coast, Calif. attorney, $1,000

Duane Bluemke, a Vero Beach, Fla. executive, $1,000

Thomas Hogan, a Chevy Chase, Md. attorney, $1,000

Kaul

Kathleen Berger, of New York City, a Bronx Community College professor, $5,000

Michele Hooper, an Oak Park, Calif. doctor, $3,000

Andrew Beck, of Brooklyn, N.Y., unemployed, $2,000

Neal Schmale, a La Jolla, Calif. attorney, $2,000

Seth Marnin, a New York City attorney, $1,667