After weeks of speculation, the Governor's office disclosed that a nonprofit used to fund her inauguration had mostly paid for a private flight to Florida in March. Her staff characterized the nonprofit as an administrative account, and despite pledging transparency, the picture offered of the nonprofit's finances is far from complete. read more

posted on 05/14/2021

Michigan’s 2018 election was the most expensive in state history. As voters chose a new governor, picked candidates for every seat in the state Legislature and decided two competitive U.S. House races, money poured in from outside groups, and campaigns raised record amounts. read more

posted on 05/09/2019

Michigan’s 2018 race for governor attracted about $93.4 million, and it spurred record spending by groups that can accept unlimited contributions while operating outside of the candidates’ campaigns. Both outcomes point to larger trends: more money in races; and more money coming from spenders that are allegedly “independent” of the candidates. read more

posted on 03/11/2019

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s transition organization voluntarily released a list of inauguration sponsors. The list included 182 groups or individuals who fell into sponsorship categories ranging from $100,000 to $1,000. Some of the groups on the list previously supported Whitmer’s opponent in the election, and many of them will be working with state government on upcoming policy decisions. read more

posted on 02/11/2019

Democrat Gretchen Whitmer and Republican Bill Schuette raised more than $23 million for their campaigns for governor. And disclosures show that employees of Michigan’s largest companies and some of the state’s largest interest groups helped foot the bill. read more

posted on 12/12/2018

When it comes to the general election race for Michigan governor, direct spending by PACs, super PACs, nonprofits and other political groups dwarfed spending by the candidates' campaigns. The numbers point to a greater trend in campaign finance, and they aren't final yet. The disparity will likely grow as more disclosures become available. read more

posted on 12/10/2018

Michigan's 2018 elections have become the most expensive in state history. MCFN has now tracked about $291 million in the 2018 races, and the total is far from complete. The total will increase as more fundraising and spending disclosures become available in the next months. The 2018 elections break a record that's stood since 2012. read more

posted on 11/13/2018

Michigan's 2018 race for governor will be one of the most expensive in state history. Much of the money is coming from super PACs and nonprofit organizations that are working outside of the candidates' campaigns. Later this week, the candidates and involved PACs will have to file new disclosures with the state about their involvement. read more

posted on 10/22/2018

Michigan's 2018 race for governor will likely be one of the most expensive in state history. As of this week, the race has attracted about $50 million, according to a new analysis from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. The candidates' campaigns have raised most of the money, but outside groups are starting to play a larger role. read more

posted on 09/07/2018

The general election race for Michigan governor is just getting started. But already, an estimated $1.6 million in broadcast TV ads have aired since the primary. National groups are driving the ad spending. In this story, MCFN examines who's behind the ads. read more

posted on 09/04/2018

About $23.6 million in political advertisements aired on broadcast TV in Michigan before today’s primary election, according to an analysis of ad-tracking data from Kantar Media/CMAG and filings with the Federal Communications Commission. The wide majority of the ads focused on the race to become Michigan's next governor. read more

posted on 08/07/2018

Michigan's 2018 race for governor has already attracted about $42 million. It's a total that's been reached with more than a week remaining before the Aug. 7 primary election and with an entire general election campaign yet to waged. read more

posted on 07/27/2018

Political action committees, super PACs and nonprofit organizations that want to sway Michiganders' votes for governor have already spent about $8.9 million, according to a new analysis from the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. That number will likely rise in the final 12 days before the Aug. 7 primary. read more

posted on 07/26/2018

Michigan candidates and groups that want to influence their races have now aired an estimated $8.3 million in broadcast TV ads in 2018, according to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network's analysis of Federal Communications Commission filings and Kantar Media/CMAG ad-tracking data. read more

posted on 07/09/2018

Less than eight months after Gov. Rick Snyder signed a law establishing new standards for how closely candidates can work with “independent” spenders looking to sway voters, multiple PACs with connections to Lt. Gov. Brian Calley have bought ad time to boost his campaign for governor. read more

posted on 04/20/2018

The November election may be 10 months away, but some campaign donors have already made max contributions in support of their preferred candidates for governor. According to a review of fundraising disclosures, about 318 donors contributed the maximum amount allowed to at least one candidate for Michigan governor by the end of 2017. read more

posted on 02/07/2018

While they’re still a year away from collecting official votes for governor, a field of potential candidates in Michigan has already amassed more than $7.5 million in campaign cash. Six candidates officially running to be the state’s next governor and two potential candidates reported in fundraising disclosures due today that combined, they had $7.5 million sitting in accounts on July 20. read more

posted on 07/25/2017

Multiple political operatives said this week a candidate for Michigan governor in a competitive primary race in 2018 would likely need about $3 million dollars in funding to contend in the primary alone. Attorney General Bill Schuette, a Republican, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, a Republican, and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, a Democrat — all potential candidates — are already on their way to that figure. And former Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has officially begun her fundraising efforts. read more

posted on 01/06/2017