Branstad raises nearly $3.2 million in governor's race

DES MOINES – Former Gov. Terry Branstad has raised nearly $3.2 million since formally announcing last October that he is making a bid for an unprecedented fifth term as Iowa governor this year.

Jeff Boeyink, who manages the Governor Branstad 2010 campaign, today announced that the campaign took in more than $1.6 million in contributions for the reporting period covering Jan. 1 through May 14. The former governor who is in a three-way race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination June 8 previously raised more than $1.5 million from mid-October through Dec. 31.

Boeyink said the campaign will file its updated financial report with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board on Wednesday.

Overall, the former governor has received $3,178,705 from 9,608 contributions since joining the 2010 GOP field. His campaign currently has slightly more than $1.2 million in cash on hand, according to the statement issued today.

“Iowans want honest, conservative change and this is yet more evidence they want Terry Branstad to lead our state's comeback,” Boeyink said. “More than 9,000 individual Iowans have made personal contributions to this campaign, and this shows Gov. Branstad has made a significant connection to those grassroots Iowans who will make the difference on June 8.

“Since the first of the year, we have added more than 6,000 contributors as enthusiasm for Gov. Branstad and his campaign continues to grow,” Boeyink added. “ In addition, these fundraising numbers clearly show Gov. Branstad is the only Republican candidate who will be able to assemble the resources necessary to defeat Chet Culver in the fall.”

Also seeking the 2010 GOP gubernatorial nomination are five-term state Rep. Rod Roberts of Carroll and Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats.

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