PAC, candidate, and political party financial disclosures were due on May 19th, and so far in 2018, the Republican Party of Iowa has raised three times the amount of money raised by the Iowa Democratic Party.
At the start of the reporting period, Republicans reported having just $6,388.80 on hand. In 2018, they reported just over 1.2 million dollars in contributions. They reported $476,691.54 in expenditures during the reporting period. At the end of the reporting period, they have $732,117.92 in the bank.
Democrats started the reporting period with more money in the bank – $659,670.22. They reported just $410,030.98 in contributions. They spent more than they raised during the reporting period – $437,482.07. They end the reporting period with $632,219.13 in the bank, $100K less than the Republicans.
Republicans recorded some sizeable donations from campaigns and political action committees. Iowa House Majority Leader Chris Hagenow’s campaign donated $50,365. Iowa Speaker of the House Linda Upmeyer’s campaign donated $75,500. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ campaign donated $10,000. Jacob Bossman’s campaign donated $15,000. State Representative John Wills’ campaign donated $10,000. State Representative Zach Nunn (R-Bondurant) donated $30,000. State Senator Dan Dawson’s campaign donated $10,000. State Senate President Charles Schneider’s campaign donated $25,000. State Senator Waylon Brown’s campaign donated $10,000. State Representative Jake Highfill’s campaign donated $25,000. State Representative Peter Cownie’s campaign donated $10,000.
The largest donation came from former Iowa Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix’s campaign after he resigned his position and seat in the Iowa Senate. Dix’s campaign donated $522,000.
The Republican State Leadership Committee also donated $35,000 to RPI. GOPAC donated $34,000. The Hawkeye PAC donated $10,000. Iowa City businessman David Barker donated $25,000. Des Moines businessman James Cownie donated $25,000. The Polk County Republican Central Committee donated $11,650.
Republicans in 2018 received 363 contributions with an average contribution amounting to $3,312.45. Their donor base primarily consisted of campaign committees, political action committees, and county parties. They had few individual donors, in fact, 75 percent of their donations came from 18 contributors.
Some of the Iowa Democratic Party’s sizeable donations also came from Nate Boulton’s Gubernatorial campaign gave $14,500, A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education PAC gave $10,000, State Senator Joe Bolkcom’s campaign gave $22,500, State Representative Dave Jacoby’s campaign gave $10,000, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee donated $10,000, Gubernatorial candidate and businessman Fred Hubbell donated $10,000, and they also received $10,000 from Kurt Rasmussen who is President and CEO of the Rasmussen Group.
Democrats received 1372 contributions in 2018 with an average contribution amounting to $298.86. Their donor base consisted of mainly individual donors.