With just about a week to go until Election Day, candidates across the state are making their final pitches to voters and they are holding last minute fundraising events. In the House District 31 race, both candidates have raised several thousands of dollars and other groups are also spending money on the race.
According to the latest Alaska Public Offices Commission campaign disclosure reports, non-partisan incumbent Paul Seaton leads Republican nominee Sarah Vance in terms of fundraising. According to Seaton’s 30-day disclosure report, he has raised nearly $80,000, though Seaton started the year off with nearly half of that money in his campaign fund.
Seaton’s seven-day report was not posted online before deadline. So far, Seaton has spent about $55,000 with about $14,000 of those expenses going towards radio ads and other advertisements.
According to Vance’s seven-day report, she has raised $35,000 and has spent nearly all of that money. Vance spent about $14,000 on a mixture of digital and radio ads as well as postage and mail service aimed at reaching out to supporters.
However, Vance has also received significant support from Families of The Last Frontier, a political action committee funded solely by the Republican State Leadership Committee based in Washington D.C.
The group works to elect Republicans to state-level offices across the country. The group donated $140,000 to the Families of The Last Frontier PAC, which spent roughly $35,000 on digital and radio ads as well as flyers opposing Seaton and supporting Vance.
Vance’s campaign has also received support from Conoco Philips and BP employee PACs, the Alaska Business and Alaska Trucking Association PACs. The state Republican Party and two Republican women’s groups have also made donations.
Seaton has received financial support from Alaska AFL-CIO, the state’s largest labor organization. Seaton also received donations from other PACs including the Alaska Center, Alaska Relators, the State Hospital & Nursing Home Association and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America Local 1243.
Both candidates have received numerous donations from private individuals. All candidates running for office in the state will be required to submit daily reports for donations over $250 leading up to Election Day. All expenditures and donations will then be reported in a final disclosure after the election on Nov. 6.