Sen. Amy Klobuchar leads in campaign donations, but House Speaker Lisa Demuth leads in outside money

One of the most expensive contests in Minnesota this fall is the race for governor, and the leading candidates are getting campaign money in very different ways.

In direct contributions, Sen. Amy Klobuchar has a decisive edge over House Speaker Lisa Demuth. Records show she currently has $3.44 million in cash on hand and while many of her donors are from in-state, many are from out of state.

Demuth has $544,000 cash on hand. Most of her donors are from in-state. 

When it comes to outside money there is a big difference.

Klobuchar has received less than $5,000 in outside money from two in-state Political Action Committees. Demuth's campaign has received $2.8 million in outside money, nearly all from one PAC backed by Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein.

There is no limit on outside money donations. 

The Super PAC is called Restore Sanity. Their donations are documented in campaign records and in hard-to-read font at the end of many anti-Klobuchar commerials.

Professor Larry Jacobs of the U of M Humphrey School said "Uilein contributions demonstrate the power of outside money. Here they came in with funds that go around Minnesota's limits on campaign contributions."

The Super PACs are hard to trace. A July Restore Sanity document shows a $1 million donation to the PAC. On the second page, the source of the money is named: Richard Uihlein. 

 The Uihleins are the billionaire owners of the Uline shipping company.

According to Open Secrets they donated $143 million to Republican campaigns in 2024, including $49 million to the pro-Trump Restoration PAC.

In Wisconsin they are well known.

"They have not limited their political giving to Wisconsin, although they have really focused on boosting the Republican candidates in this state," said Jacobs.

WCCO reached out to the Uihleins and have not heard back.

Demuth says by law, there can be no coordination between her campaign and Restore Sanity.