Branstad king in 2014 fundraising

Whatever happens on Election Day, there will be no question who won the Iowa statewide money race in 2014.

Campaign finance reports filed Monday showed incumbent Republican Gov. Terry Branstad's continued dominance in fundraising, vastly outraising and outspending not only Democratic challenger Jack Hatch but the entire field of statewide office-seekers.

Branstad raised $1.26 million in the July 15-to-Oct. 14 reporting period, and has raised almost $9.4 million since the end of his last campaign. Even after spending $3.99 million over the last four months — including more than $2.6 million on TV ads alone — he's got $1.29 million in the bank.

Hatch, by contrast, raised almost $880,000 in the three-month period and crested at $1.7 million for the election cycle. He spent about $783,000 — less than one-fifth of Branstad's expenditures. For the final sprint to Election Day, Hatch has $280,000 in the bank and $140,000 in outstanding loans.

Branstad didn't just swamp Hatch — the numbers indicate he could have taken on the combined field of 11 major-party candidates in the state's six statewide offices. He outspent the entire field by almost $1.9 million and had almost a half million more still in the bank at the end of the cycle.

His quarterly fundraising represents 44 percent of all the money given to candidates for statewide office.

The reports filed Monday with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board reveal details on other races, too.

In what may be the closest race for statewide office this year, the candidates for secretary of state have pursued differing strategies informed at least in part by their different financial positions.

Democrat Brad Anderson raised more than $132,000 in the July-to-October period and drew on previous fundraising from nearly two years as a declared candidate to spend $320,000 in the period, including almost $282,000 on TV ads in markets across the state. He's sitting on over $26,000 for the race's final weeks.

His Republican rival, Paul Pate, raised just over $107,000 in the period and spent about $122,000. His report indicates he has not purchased any TV advertising, and that his biggest media buy so far is on radio. The $28,000 radio ad buy covers four stations across the state, but is mainly focused on central Iowa's WHO Newsradio 1040.

Pate reported almost $52,000 on hand at the end of the reporting period.

The most expensive down-ballot race, judging by third-quarter spending, has been the contest between incumbent Democratic Attorney General Tom Miller and GOP challenger Adam Gregg, with more than $660,000 spent.

Miller, an eight-term incumbent, has nearly depleted his campaign account in spending more than $392,000 on his bid for a ninth term. Gregg, too, has spent big: more than $272,000 since July.

Gregg is sitting on just over $48,000 for the campaign's final weeks, while Miller has less than $18,000.