Shereen Siewert

Gov. Scott Walker%27s top donor is the Republican Party of Wisconsin

Mary Burke%27s donations come largely from retirees who collectively gave her nearly %24470%2C000

In the battle over who will spend the next four years as Wisconsin's governor, the funds fueling the race are flowing from distinctly different sources.

The challenger, Madison Democrat Mary Burke, is her own top contributor, spending $430,528 so far. The second-highest amount came from the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the public-sector labor union that represents thousands of teachers. Seven of Burke's top 10 contributors are labor unions.

Gov. Scott Walker's top donor is the Republican Party of Wisconsin. A power company, a railroad and one of the nation's top insurance providers are also on Walker's top 10 list.

Big-money donors make up a hefty portion of Walker's top supporters, many of whom are from out of state. Burke, on the other hand, has had fewer big-money donors. In Wisconsin, individual donations are capped at $10,000.

The candidate divide is revealed in campaign finance filings made by Walker since April 2009 and by Burke, from the time she entered the race last October. Walker's war chest includes more than $1.6 million left over from his successful 2012 recall campaign against Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Gannett Wisconsin Media used data from the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board and the National Institute on Money in State Politics for this report.

Campaign contributions can lead to divided loyalties for some politicians between the voters who elected them and the contributors who funded their campaigns, said Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonprofit, nonpartisan political watchdog group in Madison.

"People are not donating money out of the goodness of their heart," McCabe said. "(Donors) want people in office who will cater to their needs and serve their interests, and what we see is, they often do, sometimes to the detriment of ordinary taxpayers. It is an inherent problem in our system."

Ken Mayer, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is quick to point out that few political candidates will change their position simply because someone gave them money.

"Donating is a way to ensure access and establish connections with people in office," Mayer said. "Interest groups support candidates who are sympathetic to their position."

Since Aug. 1, 2012, about 145 contributors have each donated $10,000 to Walker's campaign — a total of $1.45 million. Of those contributors, 31 listed a Wisconsin mailing address. The other 114 were donors in 25 other states.

Among the donors who contributed $10,000 each are seven members of the DeVos family of Michigan. Though the family patriarch, Richard DeVos Sr., did not contribute to Walker's 2014 campaign, the Orlando Magic owner and co-founder of Amway donated $251,000 during the recall, a period when campaign contribution limits were suspended.

The Burke campaign reports 36 individual donors have contributed the maximum of $10,000 each, including 29 from Wisconsin.

Burke said she is proud that more than 90 percent of her contributions have been from people who gave $100 or less. The Democratic candidate for governor said in a statement she will continue to put "people ahead of big-moneyed special interests" if she is elected.

Mayer said the question of whether labor unions represent "big-moneyed special interests" is a political issue, not a legal one. Democratic candidates tend to view labor unions as a group of middle-class workers trying to protect themselves from corporate greed.

"There is no formal definition of a 'special interest,' other than the generic 'any group whose political views I oppose,'" Mayer said.

Alleigh Marre, spokeswoman for the Walker campaign, did not comment on specific donations but said Walker is focusing on lowering the tax burden, fostering a business-friendly environment and investing in worker training.

Burke's campaign war chest comes largely from retirees who collectively gave Burke nearly $470,000 so far. Unions that have given generously to Burke's campaign were on a losing end over Act 10, which severely limited collective-bargaining powers for public-sector unions.

A number of contributors in the database show donations above the $10,000 limit, but campaign expense reports reveal those overages were either refunded to the donors or were drawn from a joint checking account and could be attributed to a spouse.

And in the case of Walker, a first look at the numbers would show Granite Lists, LLC, a New Hampshire political consulting firm as the top donor with $104,837, but a closer look shows those dollars were repaid for mailing services and can't be counted as campaign contributions.

— Shereen Siewert: 715-845-0773 or ssiewert@gannett.com; on Twitter @ShereenSiewert

How we did it

In August, I-Team reporter Shereen Siewert spent three days in Missoula, Montana at an investigative journalism conference sponsored by the National Institute on Money in State Politics, where she learned to mine campaign finance data to take a closer look at the role of money in politics. The Insitute provides a national, nonpartisan archive of campaign contibutions for all states.

The campaign finance data used for this I-Team report was verified by Wisconsin Government Accountability Board campaign records, cross-checking contributions and expenses for each candidate.

Contribution limits

Campaign contribution limits apply to all candidates and personal campaign committees. Limits apply cumulatively to the entire primary and election campaign in which the candidate participates, whether or not there is a contested primary election. Contribution limits are suspended for recalls.

Limits for partisan state offices

Governor

• Individual: $10,000

• Single contribution from committees: $43,128

• Total from committees except political party committees: $485,190

• Total from all committees including political party committees: $700,830

Lt. Governor

• Individual: $10,000

• Single contribution from committees: $12,939

• Total from committees except political party committees: $145,564

• Total from all committees including political party committees: $210,259

Source: Wisconsin Government Accountability Board

Top contributors to Scott Walker's 2014 election campaign from Aug. 1, 2012 through Aug. 1, 2014

1. The Republican Party of Wisconsin

State: Wisconsin

The Wisconsin affiliate of the U.S. Republican Party that supports efforts to put Republican candidates in elected office throughout the state.

Two donations totaling $31,500

2. Wisconsin Energy Corp.

State: Wisconsin

Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Energy Corp. provides electric and natural gas service to more than 1 million customers in Wisconsin and Michigan.

Single contribution of $26,500

3. BNSF Railway

State: Texas

Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is the second-largest freight railroad network in North America and is the nation's largest hauler of oil by rail.

Single contribution of $20,000

4. Wisconsin Pipe Trades Association PAC

State: Wisconsin

This political action committee represents plumbers and pipefitters in Wisconsin.

Three contributions totaling $19,000

5. 3M Company PAC

State: Minnesota

This political action committee, formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, has given political candidates more than $4.5 million to date, including more than $3 million to Republican candidates in both state and national campaigns.

Two contributions totaling $16,000

6. WellPoint

State: Indiana

WellPoint is the nation's second-largest health insurance provider and insures 18 percent of Wisconsin's insured population. WellPoint is a past Walker contributor. In 2012, the organization gave Walker a $20,000 donation to support his successful effort in the recall election. The only other candidate in the nation to receive more election campaign money than Walker is Mitch Daniels; the republican governor from Indiana received $42,778 from WellPoint in his successful 2008 election bid.

Single contribution of $15,000

7. Individual contributors

The next 145 top contributions are all from individual donors, each of whom gave $10,000 to Walker's campaign.

Total amount raised in the 2014 election cycle: $18,001,079

Sources: Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System and the National Institute on Money in State Politics

Since Scott Walker first announced his candidacy for Wisconsin governor in 2009, here's a breakdown of his Top 10 overall contributors. The totals span the 2010 governor's race, the 2012 recall elections and his 2014 bid for reelection. At the end of the recall, Walker had more than $1.6 million remaining in campaign funds to be used in the 2014 election.

1. The Republican Party of Wisconsin

State: Wisconsin

About: The Wisconsin affiliate of the U.S. Republican Party that supports efforts to put Republican candidates in elected office throughout the state.

Amount: 20 donations totaling $1,116,449

2. Diane Hendricks

State: Wisconsin

About: President and Chief Executive Officer of ABC Supply Co., the nation's largest wholesale building supply distributor, with headquarters in Wausau. Hendricks made headlines in May 2012 when a January 2011 video surfaced that showed Gov. Scott Walker explaining a "divide and conquer" strategy against unions in a conversation with Hendricks. Forbes estimated Hendricks' net worth in 2010 at $2.8 billion — the same year her company's tax obligation dropped from $2.2 million to zero, thanks to a change in the corporation's structure.

Amount: Eight donations totaling $530,500

3. Bobby Jack "Bob" Perry

State: Texas

About: Perry, who died in April 2013, was a real estate magnate and the owner of Perry Homes, a home building company in Houston and a well-known supporter of Republican candidates. Perry helped pay for the Swift Boat Veterans ads that attacked Sen. John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign.

Amount: Three donations totaling $500,000, all came during the height of the battle to recall Walker back in 2011 and 2012.

4. David C. Humphreys

State: Missouri

About: President and CEO of Tamko Building Products, a wholesale building supply company in Missouri. Humphreys' sister, Sarah Atkins, also donated $250,000 to the Walker campaign in 2012. He is one of Missouri's top political contributors and has donated more than $5 million to candidates in and around the state, almost exclusively to Republican candidates.

Amount: Three donations totaling $270,000

5. Sheldon G. Adelson

State: Nevada

About: President, chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., which owns and operates the Venetian Casino Resort in Las Vegas. Adelson, who backed former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in his bid for president in 2012, hosted a March meeting in Las Vegas of possible presidential hopefuls for 2016 — a meeting Walker attended.

Amount: Two donations totaling $260,000

6. Richard M. Devos Sr.

State: Florida

About: The owner of the Orlando Magic and co-founder and former president of Amway, a company that uses multi-level marketing techniques to sell a variety of health, beauty and home products. On Aug. 22, Forbes Magazine pegged DeVos' net worth at $7.3 billion. DeVos has donated more than $4.9 million to more than 100 candidates in the past 16 years, the vast majority of which are Republican.

Amount: Two donations totaling $251,000

7. Sarah Atkins

State: Missouri

About: Quality consultant with Tamko Building Products in Missouri. The sister of Tamko CEO David C. Humphreys, Atkins also donated $500,000 to Restore Our Future, a political action committee supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's 2012 run for the presidency.

Amount: Single donation of $250,000

8. Stanley Herzog

State: Missouri

About: Herzog is the leader of the St. Joseph-based Herzog Cos. Inc., which includes subsidiaries that build highways and railroads. The company donates to Republican candidates and political-action committees. Herzog also donated $1 million to Restore Our Future,a politcal action committee created to support Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, and has donated more than $2 million to political candidates.

Amount: Three donations of $260,000

9. Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce

State: Wisconsin

Amount: A private, nonprofit organization that represents about 1,800 businesses in and around the Milwaukee area. The group aims to increase the economic vitality of the metro Milwaukee business community by encouraging partnerships in economic development and building business relationships.

Amount: Five donations totaling $200,600

10. Richard E. Uihlein

State: Illinois

About: Owner of Uline, a packaging material manufacturer with more than 4,000 employees worldwide. In 2010, Uihlein spent about $100 million to move his company's headquarters and about 1,000 jobs from Waukegan, Ill., to its current home in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., just two miles over the state line, with the help of state and localincentives valued at $6 million that were granted by then-Gov. Jim Doyle. Uihlein is reportedly one of the largest GOP donors in the nation, according to Sunlight Foundation, a campaign finance watchdog group in Washington. He has contributed nearly $4 million to national Tea Party candidates alone.

Amount: Eight donations totaling $165,500

Total amount raised: $66,734,097 in five elections.

Source: The National Institute on Money in State Politics and the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System

Top 10 contributors for Mary Burke

1. Mary Burke

State: Wisconsin

About: Gubernatorial candidate and former Wisconsin Commerce Department secretary. Burke is a former Trek Bicycle executive and a member of the Madison School Board.

Amount: Ten donations totaling $430,528

2. Wisconsin Education Association Council

State: Wisconsin

About: Public sector trade union for educators that represents the public policy, labor and professional interests of about 92,000 members. Affiliated with the National Education Association. The total includes a $5,000 contribution from the Fox Valley Chapter of the Association.

Amount: Two donations totaling $48,128

3. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (tie)

State: Wisconsin

About: National labor union representing about 725,000 nationwide workers in the electrical industry in a variety of fields including utilities, construction, telecommunications, broadcasting, manufacturing and railroads. Headquartered in Wausau, this union is among the nation's largest.

Amount: Single donation of $43,128

4. International Association of Firefighters (tie)

State: District of Columbia

About: National labor union representing about 300,000 professional firefighters and paramedics throughout the U.S., including Wisconsin. The political action committee associated with this group is among the top 25 in the country and is one of the most active lobbying organizations in the U.S.

Amount: Single donation of $43,128

5. Wisconsin United Auto Workers (tie)

State: Wisconsin

About: The Wisconsin branch of the United Auto Workers Union, one of the largest and most diverse unions in the U.S. with more than 600,000 members nationwide. The organization seeks to protect its members from unfair labor practices and has been an active lobbying force for decades.

Amount: Single donation totaling $43,128

6. National Education Association

State: District of Columbia

About: The largest labor union in the U.S. representing public school teachers, secretaries and other support personnel. This group has 3.2 million members with affiliate organizations in every state and has an annual budget of more than $300 million.

Amount: Single donation of $43,000

7. Chris Abele for Milwaukee County Executive

State: Wisconsin

About: Abele is a Milwaukee County board member first elected in a special election in 2011 and re-elected to a four-year term in 2012. He is the owner of CSA Commercial, a successful real estate company, and is well known for his philanthropy. In addition to the contributions from his campaign, Abele also made a personal donation to Burke's campaign of $10,000.

Amount: Two donations totaling $43,000

8. Emily's List Wisconsin

State: Wisconsin

About: The Wisconsin affiliate of a national organization that supports pro-choice democratic women for public offices. Nationwide, the group has more than 3 million members; candidates supported by the group have been elected more than 600 times.

Amount: Two donations totaling $42,866

9. Central Wisconsin Uniserv Council

State: Wisconsin

About: A local union supporting educators in central Wisconsin, with headquarters in Mosinee. The group aims to promote strong public schools while advocating for member rights.

Amount: Single donation of $40,000

10. (tie) Federation of Teachers Local 212

State: Wisconsin

About: The union representing 1,400 faculty, academic staff and advisors at Milwaukee Area Technical College. The group aims to ensure its members are treated and compensated as professionals. In 1969, Local 212 supported a 44-day faculty strike to protest unfair labor practices that resulted in significant changes to compensation and benefits for teachers.

Amount: Single donation of $20,000

10. (tie) Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin PAC

State: Wisconsin

About: A local union supporting professional firefighters in Wisconsin.

Amount: A single donation of $20,000

Total amount raised in the 2014 election: $5,869,651

Source: The National Institute on Money in State Politics and the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System