Massachusetts Statewide Candidates Spent $33.1M in 2014 Election Cycle

Statewide candidates spent $33.1 million during the 2013-14 election cycle, an increase of 9 percent from the 2010 election,according to an OCPF review of campaign finance activity by candidates.  Fundraising for 2014 also totaled $33 million.

The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF’s) review of statewide campaign finance activity included receipt and expenditure data for 29 candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer and auditor from Jan. 1, 2013, to Dec. 31, 2014[1].

The candidates for Massachusetts governor in 2014 reported spending $20.2 million and raising $19.8 million.  These totals are far below the records set in 2006, the last time there was an open seat for governor, when candidates reported spending $42.3 million and raising $40.9 million.

Baker2The 2014 winner, Republican Charles Baker, led all gubernatorial candidates with $5.6 million in expenditures.  That total is $1.1 million more than he spent in 2010 during an unsuccessful campaign for governor.  Baker also led all candidates in fundraising, reporting $5.8 million in contributions.

CoakleyMartha Coakley, the incumbent attorney general, spent $3.9 million as the Democratic nominee for governor. She also raised $3.7 million, of which $605,844 came from the State Election Campaign Fund – a public financing program.  Baker did not participate in the public financing program.

Other gubernatorial candidates who exceeded $2 million in spending were Democrats Donald Berwick and Steven Grossman, and Evan Falchuk of the United Independent Party.  Jeffrey McCormick, an unenrolled candidate, reported spending $1.5 million.  A full listing of fundraising and spending totals for all eight gubernatorial candidates is on page four.

The figures for the party finalists do not include independent expenditures.  In 2014, $16.9 million in independent expenditures was spent by third-party groups to support or oppose the Democratic and Republican nominees.  Independent expenditures are made on behalf of a candidate, but are not made in cooperation or consultation with a campaign.  In 2014, most independent expenditures were made by Independent Expenditure “Super” PACs.

Other races:

Seven candidates for Lieutenant Governor spent $3.3 million, a 32 percent drop from 2010.  Baker’s running mate, Karyn Polito, led all lieutenant governor candidates in spending with a total of $1.7 million.  Stephen Kerrigan, Coakley’s running mate, was second with $869,090.

Three candidates for Attorney General spent a total of $4.3 million for an open seat, the highest amount recorded in an OCPF study (the previous high was $3.9 million in 1998).  The seat was open because the incumbent, Coakely, ran for governor.  The winner, Maura Healy, reported spending $1.4 million.  Healy’s Democratic primary opponent, Warren Tolman, reported the highest expenditure total in the race, $1.9 million.  The Republican nominee, John Miller, reported $1 million in expenditures.

In the race for Secretary, incumbent and winner William Galvin, a Democrat, reported $467,087 in expenditures.  His Republican challenger David D’Archangelo reported $28,097.

Five candidates ran for Treasurer, an open seat, and reported spending $4.6 million, the highest amount reported in an OCPF study.  The previous high of $4.2 million was recorded in 2002.  The eventual 2014 winner, Deborah Goldberg, reported expenditures of $2.4 million.  Barry Finegold, Goldberg’s Democratic primary challenger, was second in spending, reporting $1.4 million.  Republican Michael Heffernan reported $430,604 in expenditures.

Three candidates ran for Auditor, spending $245,739.  The winner and incumbent, Democrat Suzanne Bump, spent $177,243, followed by Republican Patricia Saint Aubin with $64,599.

The fundraising totals in this study do not include liabilities or in-kind contributions.  In the race for governor, Coakley reported $2 million in in-kind contributions and Baker reported $1.2 million, primarily from their respective parties.

The figures for each office and candidate follow.

Campaign Finance Activity
by Statewide Candidates in the 2014 Election

 o        The figures are based on information contained in reports filed regularly by financial institutions designated by candidates and committees who appeared on the primary and/or general election ballots.

o        Periods Covered:  Starting date for activity in this report is Jan. 1, 2013.   The ending date is Dec. 31, 2014.  The election was Nov. 4, 2014.

o        Candidates who won the seat are listed first, followed by other candidates in alphabetical order.

o        Total spending may exceed fundraising because of funds already on hand at the start of the period.

Total Receipts by Office Sought 1990-2014 Statewide Elections

OCPF1

 

Total Spending by Office Sought 1990-2014 Statewide Elections

OCPF2

Governor

OCPFGOV

 

*Winner
The Coakley Committee changed its office sought from attorney general to governor on Sept. 26, 2013.

The Grossman Committee changed its office sought from treasurer to governor on July 15, 2013.

NOTE: Two candidates for governor, Joseph Avellone and Juliette Kayyem, disclosed receipts and expenditures but did not qualify for the primary ballot and are not included in this report. Avellone reported $609,027 in receipts and $608,131 in expenditures, and Kayyem disclosed $1,162,252 in receipts and $1,159,271 in expenditures.

Lieutenant Governor

OCPFLG

Attorney General

OCPFAG

 

Secretary of State

OCPFSOC

 

Treasurer

OCPF ST

NOTE: The Finegold Committee changed its office sought from state senator to treasurer on Jan. 29, 2014. The Conroy Committee changed its office from state representative to treasurer on Jan. 9, 2014.

State Auditor

OCPFAuditor

Some candidates organized their political committees after Jan. 1, 2013.  Other candidates held elected office and then changed the purpose of their political committees to run for another office after Jan. 1, 2013.