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But that's exactly what happened when the National Rifle Association sent $1,000 to help Kapanke, who is running against Democrat Brad Pfaff to fill the open seat vacated by Mark Meyer, D-La Crosse.
It's not that Kapanke has a problem with the NRA, it's just that the contribution would have put him over the $15,525 limit for contributions from non-party political action committees. Kapanke's campaign ended up banking $525 and returning $475 of the contribution to the NRA's Political Victory Fund to stay under the limit, said Keith Gilke, Kapanke's campaign manager.
Despite facing heavy competition for contributions from federal candidates, legislative candidates, especially incumbents, appear to be having little trouble raising money, said Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
"They're on a pace to raise the most money ever — it should go over $10 million," McCabe said, adding that the biggest influx of contributions arrive in the last month or so before an election.
Candidates for legislative races raised $5.6 million from Jan. 1, 2003, through August 2004, compared to $5.3 million for the same period four years earlier — leading into the last presidential election, McCabe said.
Kapanke, who ran against Meyer in 2000, had $47,298 in his campaign account as of Aug. 30, compared to Pfaff's balance of $29,495.
Pfaff said he thinks he can win with less money, but fundraising is critical.
"It's the most uncomfortable part of politics right now, but you have to do it to be competitive," Pfaff said.
Kapanke said he wished money didn't play as big a role as it does in elections, but advertising, especially on television, is expensive, Kapanke said.
"Unfortunately, it's a huge factor because I've got to get my message out there, and you've got to use the media, which costs money," Kapanke said.
Kapanke and Pfaff are in one of three state Senate races considered among the most competitive as Republicans try to build a majority large enough to override vetoes by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. Republicans now control the Senate 18-14 with the loss of Meyer, who resigned to serve on the Public Service Commission.
While fundraising continues at a rapid clip, overall spending on legislative races probably will drop this year because there's only a handful of competitive races statewide, said Ken Mayer, a UW-Madison political science professor.
Combined, legislative incumbents had a nine-to-one cash balance advantage over challengers, or $3 million to $357,430 as of Aug. 30, the Democracy Campaign found.
However, candidates should be able to raise money, whether or not they're in office, said Rep. Mike Huebsch, R-West Salem, who is facing a challenge from Democrat Vicki Burke of Onalaska.
"People vote with their pocketbook before they vote at the ballot box. If you're a viable candidate, you'll be able to raise money," Huebsch said.
Huebsch had $24,925 in campaign account as of Sept. 7, compared to Burke's balance of $5,951, according to records filed with the state Elections Board. Huebsch said he was elected in 1994 over former Rep. Virgil Roberts, D-Holmen, who had a fundraising advantage at the time.
Huebsch ranked second among all Assembly candidates in fundraising during the first half of this year, second only to Speaker John Gard.
Burke said she can't afford a television ad campaign to help her unseat Huebsch. On the other hand, she says she doesn't have to worry about pleasing contributors.
"I can look at Rep. Huebsch and see his voting record pretty much mirrors his contributors, and I won't have that problem to face," Burke said.
As the election nears, television advertising prices in western Wisconsin also are likely to climb because of competition for air time with some federal races, and possibly the race between Kapanke and Pfaff, Burke predicted.
Prices also can be pushed as outside groups buy ads, hoping to influence the outcome of an election, Burke said.
Hubesch said he probably won't spend all his money. But he's able to spend more than he has in the past, for example, on new and larger yard signs. He'll also have money in the bank in case an outside group runs an ad that make him look bad, Huebsch said.
"I don't want to be sitting there with $10,000 in the bank and lose by 400 votes," Huebsch said.
Contact Tom Sheehan at tsheehan@madison.com or (608) 252-6198.
