In MN-03, ECU-endorsed candidate Dean Phillips continues to show the power of the grassroots, raising over $1.2 million from individuals without a dime from special interest PACs or federal lobbyists.
While Phillips has refused to accept any special interest or PAC money, Congressman Erik Paulsen received the majority of his contributions from special interests with over $1,126,000 from PACs in 2017, totaling over $7.5 million during his five terms in Congress.
Meanwhile, Phillips continues to out-raise all other CD3 candidates in individual contributions.
Excelsior, MN – Dean Phillips, candidate for Congress in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, announced today that he had raised $0 (zero dollars) from PACs and federal lobbyists in 2017, instead raising a total of $1.2 million from nearly 3,500 individuals – far more than any Congressional challenger in Minnesota history at this stage of a race.
Meanwhile, Congressman Erik Paulsen hauled in $1,126,450 from PACs in 2017 – representing well over half of his total amount raised for the year. That brings the total raised from PACs and special interests over his five terms in Congress to at least $7,750,000.
Still, Phillips continues to lead all other candidates in the race – including Paulsen – when it comes to contributions from individuals. Here are the individual contribution totals for 2017 for each of the candidates running in the 3rd District:
Dean Phillips: $1,193,360
Erik Paulsen: $871,787
Adam Jennings: $159,797
Brian Santa Maria: $12,383
Looking just at the period of time since Phillips joined the race in May of 2017, he has out-raised Paulsen by a nearly 2:1 margin among individuals.
“I am proud that we are building an authentic grassroots campaign, with now more than 3,500 individuals and counting having invested in our race,” said Phillips. “I am not accepting contributions from federal lobbyists, PACs or other special interest groups because unlike Erik Paulsen, I want to be accountable only to the people I seek to represent, not the special interests in Washington, D.C.”
With five days until precinct caucuses, Phillips has continued to build support throughout the district, having recently announced the endorsements of more than 20 current and former state and local elected officials, including the vast majority of the district’s state legislative delegation. They joined former Vice President Walter Mondale and Andy Slavitt as well as End Citizens United, the Minneapolis Building and Construction Trades, Edina Indivisible and more in endorsing Phillips.
The campaign plans to roll out additional endorsements in the coming days as well.