Underly Raises 18 Times More Than Kerr

Jill Underly, a candidate in next Tuesday’s election for state school superintendent, raised more than $1.3 million in February and March thanks to a huge infusion of cash from the state Democratic Party.

Underly, who is the superintendent for the Pecatonica Area School District, reported raising $1.14 million between Feb. 2 and March 22, according to her latest campaign finance report filed Monday.

In another separate filing on Sunday, Underly reported raising an additional $188,000 in large contributions between March 24 and March 27.

Underly’s latest filings showed she received cash and in-kind contributions from the state Democratic Party totaling more than $917,800 during this period.

So, from Feb. 2 through March 27, she raised about $1,328,700 – with almost 70 percent of that coming from the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Underly spent about $818,000 in February and March and had $352,885 in her campaign account as of March 22.

Underly faces Deborah Kerr, a retired Brown Deer School District superintendent, who reported raising $71,455 and spending $47,444 between Feb. 2 and March 22. Kerr had $42,948 in her campaign account as of March 22, according to her latest campaign finance report filed Monday.

In another separate filing on Sunday, Kerr reported raising an additional $19,000 in large contributions between March 23 and March 26.

So, from Feb. 2, through March 26, Kerr raised $90,445, which means that Underly outraised her in this period about 14 to 1. And as of March 22, Underly had eight times as much money in her campaign account.

Here’s a look at Underly’s top contributors from her latest filings:

State Democratic Party, $917,829,

Deborah Kern, of Shorewood, president of the Garden Room and Anaba Tea Room, $20,000,

Sage Weil, of Madison, a software engineer who founded Ceph, WebRing, DreamHost, and InkTank, $20,000,

Lynde Uihlein, a Milwaukee philanthropist who runs the Brico Fund, $10,000,

Don Katz, of Madison, co-founder of the Katz-Krantz Family Philanthropies, $10,000.

Here’s a look at Kerr’s top contributors from her latest filings:

Diane Hendricks, of Beloit, owner of ABC Supply, $20,000,

Richard Pieper, of Mequon, chairman of Pieper Electric, $18,800,

Kathryn Burke, of Fox Point, owner of Burke Properties, $10,000,

Stephen Ziegler, of Oconomowoc, chairman of InPro Corp., $5,000,

Rebecca PAC, a political action committee controlled by former GOP Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, $5,000.