Fourteen of 26 Minnesota State Senate committee chairs raised more money than the average member this cycle

By

Kalyn Stralow

Elections for all 67 seats in the Minnesota State Senate took place on Nov. 8, 2022. Republicans held a 34-31-1 majority heading into the election.

Committee chair fundraising

State legislative committee chairs set a committee’s legislative agenda. Some committee chairs raise significantly more money than their non-chair counterparts in the state legislature. The average amount raised by delegates who did not serve as a committee chair was $64,398. The funds raised by each of the State Senate’s 26 committee chairs are shown below.

  • Aging and Long-Term Care Policy Committee – Karin Housley – $105,721
  • Agriculture and Rural Development Finance and Policy Committee – Torrey Westrom – $102,710
  • Civil Law and Data Practices Policy Committee – Andrew Mathews – $54,737
  • Driver and Vehicle Systems Oversight Committee – Scott Newman – $13,904
  • Education Finance and Policy Committee – Roger Chamberlain – $96,925
  • Energy and Utilities Finance and Policy Committee – David Senjem – $26,025
  • Environment and Natural Resources Finance Committee – Bill Ingebrigtsen – $20,950
  • Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Legacy Finance Committee – Carrie Ruud – $13,290
  • Finance Committee – Julie Rosen – $16,402
  • Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee – Michelle Benson – $306,029
  • Human Services Licensing Policy Committee – Paul Utke – $63,030
  • Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee – Jim Abeler – $109,930
  • Jobs and Economic Growth Finance and Policy Committee – Eric Pratt – $89,954
  • Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee – Warren Limmer – $72,071
  • Labor and Industry Policy Committee – Jason Rarick – $52,042
  • Local Government Policy Committee – John Jasinski – $65,925
  • Mining and Forestry Policy Committee – Justin Eichorn – $70,586
  • MNsure Legislative Oversight Committee – Michelle Benson – $306,029
  • Rules and Administration Committee – Paul Gazelka – $693,381
  • Senate Capital Investment Committee – Thomas Bakk – $78,468
  • Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee – Gary Dahms – $115,276
  • Senate Housing Finance and Policy Committee – Rich Draheim – $22,518
  • Senate Redistricting Committee – Mark Johnson – $77,292
  • Senate Taxes Committee – Carla Nelson – $97,053
  • Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee – Scott Newman – $13,904
  • State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee – Mary Kiffmeyer – $22,135
  • Technology and Reform Policy Committee – Mark Koran – $37,404
  • Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee – Andrew Lang – $43,641

The data above are based on campaign finance reports that active Minnesota PACs submitted to the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board. Political expenditures that are not controlled by candidates or their campaigns, known as satellite spending, are not included in candidate totals. Federal PACs are not required to report to state agencies. Transparency USA publishes campaign finance data following major reporting deadlines.

This article is a joint publication from Ballotpedia and Transparency USA, who are working together to provide campaign finance information for state-level elections. Learn more about our work here.