The challenger lags far behind incumbent Republican Rep. Bryan Steil in fundraising.

By Peter Cameron, THE BADGER PROJECT

Two-term Congressman Bryan Steil, who represents the southeastern corner of Wisconsin, has outraised his Democratic opponent Ann Roe by millions.

Steil has raised about $3.5 million compared to Roe’s $800,000 haul, according to filings with the Federal Elections Commission. Those figures are accurate up to Oct. 19, the last campaign finance reporting deadline before the election.

Heading into the last couple weeks of the election, Steil had about $1.5 million on hand to about $75,000 for Roe.

Roe, a Janesville business owner and educator, is running her first political race.

Political groups unaffiliated with any political campaign can buy advertising attacking or promoting candidates in the district also, but that sort of spending has been minimal in Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District. The National Association of Realtors has spent about $13,000 and the National Rifle Association has spent about $1,400, both on advertising promoting Steil, according to mandatory filings with the FEC.

Roe and her husband Jonathan Roe have each donated the maximum $5,800 to her campaign, as has former Wisconsin State Senate Majority Leader Tim Cullen, a Democrat. The PACs of the electrical workers and the plumbers and pipefitters labor unions have given $10,000 and $5,000, respectively.

The Federal Election Campaign Act prohibits corporations and labor organizations from donating directly to candidates, but they may pay to set up, administer and solicit contributions for their own political action committee. The funds in corporate PACs are usually raised from executives and employees.

The table below lists the top donors to Roe’s campaign.

The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin.