Gov. Kristi Noem spends $4.7 million on reelection bid, while Smith, Quint spend a fraction of that
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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has spent millions on her bid for re-election, while both her challengers spent a fraction on their own campaigns.
The numbers come from the pre-general Campaign Finance Reports that dropped Monday afternoon on the South Dakota Secretary of State website. Candidates are required to disclose how much money they have made and spent during the campaign.
Noem is running for reelection on Nov. 8 against Democratic challenger Rep. Jamie Smith (D-Sioux Falls) and Libertarian candidate Tracey Quint.
More:Meet South Dakota gubernatorial candidates Gov. Kristi Noem and Rep. Jamie Smith
Overall, Noem had spent more than $4.7 million, the bulk of which was over $1 million on advertising, according to her report.
Smith had spent nearly $810,000, according to his report. And Quint filed her campaign spent $855, all of which was on advertising, according to her report.
In total, Noem also made more than $3.1 million in contributions from individuals, and various political parties and political action committees, according to her report. A majority of her donations come from individuals, for a total of $1.7 million.
A majority of Smith’s funds came from itemized direct contributions from individuals, meaning people donated between $100 to $4,000 on his campaign. In total, he received nearly $595,000 from donors, according to his report.
Quint raised $901 throughout her time campaigning, according to the report.
Kristi Noem outspends opponents on advertising
Noem has not shied away from advertising on television as well as social media throughout her campaign.
She spent more than $1.8 million on advertising, according to her campaign finance report.
Noem also spent $114,750 on travel and $384,775 on her campaign employees' salaries, according to the report.
More:How South Dakota's gubernatorial candidates are using social media ahead of November election
Meanwhile, Smith spent $306,000 on advertising, according to the report. It accounts for the majority of his campaign expenditures.
He spent less than $4,000 on travel, according to the report.
What else stood out?
Noem’s donations to the South Dakotan Republican Party, three in total, cost her campaign $256,000.
The Noem Victory Fund, a federal PAC, donated just under $268,000 to Noem’s campaign, according to the report. Two conservative Washington D.C.-based PACs, the RGA Right Direction PAC and the Presidential Coalition, donated a total of $90,000 to the campaign.
In-state political action committee donations to Noem’s campaign totaled $54,000, according to her report.
More:Less than a month from Election Day and the governor's race is closing in
Smith received $35,000 from in-state political action committees with the South Dakota Realtors PAC donating $20,000. He also received donations from the Democracy in Action PAC in Rapid City and the Electrical Workers Local 426 PAC.
He had one out-of-state PAC donation from Tim Johnson For South Dakota, the former U.S. senator, who has been using his leftover campaign money for political contributions in the state.
Smith also netted $20,000 from apparel fundraising, according to his campaign finance report.
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This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem spends $4.7M on reelection campaign
