Kelly, Schmidt compile hefty fundraising totals headed into 2022 gubernatorial race
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly outraised her likely opponent, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, by nearly 20% last year.
New campaign filings show Kelly collected just over $2 million in 2021 as she runs for a second term. Schmidt, considered the presumptive GOP nominee, raised just over $1.6 million.
Both campaigns touted the figures as record-breaking. For Schmidt, it’s the most a challenger to a sitting Kansas governor has amassed the year before an election. Meanwhile, Kelly raised more than any sitting Kansas governor in a non-election year.
Heading into 2022, Kelly has $1.9 million in cash on hand. Schmidt has $1.3 million.
Kelly spent more than double the amount Schmidt spent over the course of the year.
The general election cycle started early in Kansas. In August, former Gov. Jeff Colyer pulled out of the race following a cancer diagnosis, leaving Schmidt the sole Republican in the field. At the time, according to finance reports, Colyer had raised $164,000.
Kelly is scheduled to deliver the final state of the state address of her first term Tuesday evening. Schmidt has begun wading into legislative issues outside the traditional purview of an attorney general.
In a statement Sunday, Schmidt encouraged lawmakers to use caution in spending the state’s budget surplus and suggested they invest in transportation, eliminate the food sales tax and work to reduce debt.
Here are the totals from finance reports in other Kansas statewide races.
Attorney General
Kris Kobach (Republican): raised $425,162 (including a $200,000 personal loan)
Kellie Warren (Republican): raised $282,067
Chris Mann (Democrat): raised $204,159 (including a $25,000 personal loan)
Tony Mattivi (Republican): raised $135,605
Secretary of State
Scott Schwab (Republican): raised $164,831
Mike Brown (Republican): raised $127,635 (including a $100,000 personal loan)
State Treasurer
Steven Johnson (Republican): raised $403,161 (including a $195,000 personal loan)
Lynn Rogers (Democrat): raised $237,604
Caryn Tyson (Republican): raised $164,362
Sara Hart Weir (Republican): raised $85,406 (including a $30,000 personal loan)
Michael Austin (Republican): raised $40,491
This story was originally published January 11, 2022, 11:09 AM.
