Fundraising tallies

Today is the deadline for the gubernatorial candidates to file their fundraising reports with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board.  Last week, former Governor Terry Branstad released his fundraising data, then Governor Chet Culver did, too.

Today, Bob Vander Plaats released this statement explaining his fundraising.

VANDER PLAATS FINANCIAL REPORT: CAMPAIGN RAISES $657,740 IN 2009

DES MOINES – The campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats today submitted its financial disclosure report to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, showing it raised $657,740 during 2009, had more than $203,000 cash on hand on Dec. 31 and that it collected the most money after former Governor Terry Branstad announced he would formally enter the race.

“By all accounts, we had a great year,” Vander Plaats said.  “The fact is, we received the strongest financial support after Terry Branstad said in September that he was likely to get into the race. The financial backing this campaign has received is a clear indication that people see the GOP primary as a two-man contest and that a solid number of Iowans want a new face to lead the Republican Party forward.”

The campaign reported cash contributions of $595,740.13 and in-kind contributions of $61,999.87 for a total of $657,740.00 in contributions. It reported expenditures totaling $392,630.67 during 12 months in operation. Its cash on hand was $203,109.46 at year’s end.

Vander Plaats said the campaign report shows more than 1,200 individual contributions, indicating a broad and solid supporter base as the primary campaign enters its most active phase.

“Credible public polls have shown we’re locked in a very tight, very competitive race with Terry Branstad. We’ve received a number of very influential endorsements in recent months that are giving us a powerful grassroots network and will expand our fundraising base significantly during this critical phase of the primary election and into the fall as we take on Chet Culver,” Vander Plaats said. “We’re positioned to win on June 8 and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

Rod Roberts, a Republican candidate for governor, did not issue a news release about his fundraising.  You can read his financial report here.  He raised about $100,000.

Christian Fong, a Republican candidate for governor who dropped out of the race in late 2009, filed his required financial disclosure report. It shows he raised about $127,000 — slighly more than Roberts did.

As of 2 p.m. today, the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board website did not have a report online from Chris Rants, the other Republican candidate for governor.  Plus, the Culver,  Branstad & Vander Plaats reports aren’t online yet either.