REGIONAL— Aaron Kania, of Lake Vermilion, is crushing incumbent state Rep. Roger Skraba, R-Ely, in the race for campaign cash as the two go head-to-head in District 3A. Both are running unopposed in Tuesday’s primary, so the race remains focused on the Nov. 3 general election.
According to pre-primary campaign finance reports filed this past week, Kania had raised a total of $67,662, including $64,162 from individual contributors. He’s received an additional $500 from an Ely area resident who is a registered lobbyist, and $1,000 from the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, or MAPE, along with $2,000 from the DFL party.
Skraba’s hometown of Ely, where he formerly served as mayor, has proven to be Kania’s largest base of financial support. Of the larger contributors, who must be listed by name and address on the campaign finance reports, Kania has taken in $18,295 from Ely area residents, although when combined with smaller contributors (who are not individually listed by name or address) he has almost certainly raised more than $20,000 from Ely area residents.
According to his report, Kania has spent $26,317 to date on the campaign, mostly on print materials and advertising, leaving him with nearly $35,000 cash on hand heading into the general election sprint.
Skraba, by contrast, had raised just $2,912 from individual contributors, along with an additional $450 from lobbyists and $800 from political action committees. He’s also received $2,500 from the Itasca and Wright county GOPs, for a total of $6,662.
Skraba’s largest individual contribution, of $1,000, is from Arthur Dantchik, a Pennsylvania-based billionaire who owns a financial services firm. He has also received a $500 contribution from an Ely resident.
He’s spent $6,552 on the campaign, according to the report, more than half of that for mileage reimbursement to Skraba himself.