New Filings Show Donovan Leads the Pack in Vermont Campaign Cash | Off Message

New Filings Show Donovan Leads the Pack in Vermont Campaign Cash

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T.J. Donovan - FILE PHOTO
  • File photo
  • T.J. Donovan
Attorney General T.J. Donovan is sitting on more campaign cash than Vermont's five other statewide officeholders combined, according to disclosure forms filed Saturday with the Secretary of State's Office.

The campaign finance documents provide the first glimpse into state politicians' campaign accounts since December 2016. Candidates for federal office file on a quarterly basis. (See fundraising totals from Vermont's congressional delegation here.)

Though the next state election is more than 15 months away, Donovan's campaign account appears unusually active. The first-term Democrat easily won the post last November, leaving him with $128,479 to spare. Since then, he picked up a $4,000 contribution from the Democratic Attorneys General Association.

Donovan also spent more than any other candidate over the last seven months, racking up $12,062 in expenses. Those included $6,450 for campaign software, $782 for a June event at Burlington's St. John's Club and $40 for a Mexican meal in Portland, Ore., in May. That left Donovan with $121,132 in his campaign account at the end of the reporting period.

After a hard-fought campaign last November, Gov. Phil Scott had just $18,613 left over in his account. The first-term Republican has raised only $100 since. He also received an $11,868 reimbursement for an overpayment to a Washington, D.C., consulting firm.

The governor made $6,592 in campaign expenditures over the last seven months and returned $5,000 in contributions he received during his last campaign. As of Saturday, he had $18,989 in the bank.

Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman reported a $8,320 surplus from 2016. He took in $913 in contributions and spent $5,006. A portion of that money went to booths at fairs and other events. The Progressive/Democratic politician also spent $760 to print buttons, t-shirts and bumper stickers. Other expenses included email services, website development, bank fees and phone bills. That left Zuckerman with $4,226 in his campaign account.

State Treasurer Beth Pearce donated $3,500 of her leftover $4,662 to the Vermont Democratic Party. Neither she nor Secretary of State Jim Condos raised any additional money. State Auditor Doug Hoffer's campaign finance report was not posted on the Secretary of State's website as of Sunday morning.

Following Saturday's deadline, candidates for state office in Vermont are not required to file their next campaign finance report until March 2018.

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