HELENA — Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock out-raised Republican Sen. Steve Daines by a 2-to-1 margin in the past six weeks, increasing his campaign fundraising take to almost $6 million since entering the contest in early March.
Bullock reported Thursday that he raised nearly $2.5 million during the six weeks ending May 13, compared to $1.3 million for Sen. Daines during the same period.
The fall matchup between Bullock and Daines should be one of the most-watched U.S. Senate races in the country, as Democrats attempt to wrest control of the body from Republicans this year.
Bullock entered the race March 9 – the last possible day – and since has raised $5.8 million in campaign funds.
Daines, running for a second term, has raised a total of $9.2 million for his re-election campaign, but so far this year has been easily out-raised by Bullock, a two-term governor.
Still, as of May 13, Daines held a lead over Bullock when it comes to cash in the bank: $5.76 million versus Bullock’s bankroll of $4.15 million. While Bullock raised considerable cash during the past six weeks, he also spent a lot: $1.5 million, as he got his campaign up and running.
Bullock has relied mostly on individual donors, with much of that money coming from outside the state.
Daines has plenty of individual donors, but also has received at least $2.6 million from PACs, or almost 30 percent of his funds.
The race also is expected to attract millions of dollars in outside spending from various political groups.
