Gov. Dayton’s newest ad, “Darn Good Coach”

Gov. Mark Dayton and his Republican challenger in the governor’s race, Jeff Johnson, each raised about a million dollars between July 22 and September 16, the latest fundraising period. 

The candidates released their fundraising totals, which include public subsidies, a few hours before the official filing deadline with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Disclosure Board. 

Dayton still holds a significant advantage in cash on hand, however, reporting just under $1.7 million vs. Johnson’s $866,000, which still puts the GOP candidate in a more competitive position than earlier this summer.   

Dayton just recently began airing a series of TV commercials, “Darn Good Coach” and placed an order for about a million dollars worth of those ads. Dayton’s presence is augmented by another million-dollar campaign launched by Alliance for a Better Minnesota, a DFL political action group.

Johnson’s campaign said today his paid media campaign will tomorrow with a “substantial” media buy statewide. The ad is called “Accountable,” campaign spokesman Jeff Bakken describes it as “positive with an asterisk.”