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| Republican Margaret O’Brien, center right, celebrates her win, by 59 votes, last November in Kalamazoo County’s 20th Senate District. The $2.6 million spent on the race made it the most expensive state Senate election in Michigan history. /MLive photo |
kept off the books, the Michigan Supreme Court race for 2014 topped $10 million,
making it the most expensive state supreme court election in the nation, according
a report released today by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
With three seats up for grabs, the eight-figure total marked the third consecutive
election cycle in which Michigan’s high-court competition topped the nation by
exceeding $10 million in campaign spending. The $4.7 million in dark money –
spending by special interest groups that evades the required disclosure of donors — was
also unprecedented across the country. What’s more, those figures from the nonprofit MCFN only account for broadcast television advertising, not other forms of electioneering.
Beyond today’s report, Michigan also consistently ranks
at or near the bottom of the 50 states in terms of electing Supreme Court
justices in an open, nonpartisan manner.
and other shadowy groups — most pushing a pro-business or pro-labor agenda — actually outspent the candidates’ campaign committees,
often by wide margins, in the hotly contested elections for federal and state offices.
“Independent spenders overshadow the candidates’
campaigns in almost every competitive contemporary election,” Robinson
said. “Contribution limits and campaign accountability are becoming quaint
vestiges of a time when democracy was valued more than it is today.”
$134.6 million in the 2014 state elections. That total is up by more than 25 percent
compared to the corresponding figure from 2010, when statewide offices and the
Michigan Senate were last on the ballot.
At the same time, accountability for political spending
was the weakest ever in 2014. Candidate-focused television advertisements financed
by undisclosed donors totaled $42.9 million. That is nearly double the 2010 amount
of $22.9 million.
ever at $63.5 million. Spending for television advertising that was not
reported through the state’s campaign finance reporting system reached $35.2
million. The Democratic Governors Association made Michigan a key target as they spent $15 million from their $85 million war chest to boost Schauer.
* The attorney general campaign was the most expensive ever
at $7.9 million. Undisclosed television spending topped $3 million. The record
amount came as the Democrats and their nominee, Mark Totten, mounted a minimal
effort and were outspent by the Republicans and incumbent AG Bill Schutte by
a 5-1 margin.
* The state House campaigns were the most expensive ever at
$25.3 million.
* The 20th District Michigan Senate campaign, based in Kalamazoo County, was the most
expensive ever at $2,646,000.
* Michigan’s 2014 U.S. Senate campaign also was dominated
by independent spenders. Democrat Gary Peters and Republican Terri Land raised
$22 million combined in their candidate committees. But SuperPACs and political nonprofit groups
spent more than $36 million on the campaign.
federal and state campaigns; charts on state PACs, political parties and ballot
committees; and lists of top donors to winning candidates, the political parties,
and officeholders’ “leadership PACs.” You can access the report here: Citizen’s
Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance 2014.
