UPDATED Election 2022: McKee Tops $300,000 in Fundraising for 2nd Quarter

UPDATED Election 2022: McKee Tops $300,000 in Fundraising for 2nd Quarter

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee raised in excess of $320,000 in the second quarter, GoLocal has exclusively learned.

Second-quarter campaign finance reports are not due for another ten days, but GoLocal has confirmed that the McKee campaign raised $298,681.89  from individuals and another $23,150 from Political Action Committees.

The campaign did return $5,500 in donations.

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The boost to the campaign bumps the McKee balance to more than $716,000.

The  McKee campaign noted that a total of 613 donors contributed to the Governor’s campaign during the second quarter, 83% of which were Rhode Islanders, and for the fiscal year 60% were first-time donors. In addition, donations were received from 38 of Rhode Island’s 39 cities and towns.

McKee stated “I’m extremely grateful to those who share my vision to move Rhode Island forward and who have so generously donated to my campaign. With that said, I am focused on governing, as the time for politics will come later.”

 

 

2022 in Focus

The significant fundraising quarter demonstrates the Governor's new fundraising muscle.

In June, GoLocal reported that McKee’s inner circle was overjoyed with the turnout at a political fundraiser at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick. 

Chief-of-Staff Tony Silva told GoLocal McKee's fundraisers are getting bigger and bigger and this was "the biggest.” As GoLocal reported:

GoLocal attended the fundraiser and will attend other gubernatorial candidates' fundraising events from a news coverage standpoint. GoLocal and its managers and journalists do not make political donations.

At the June fundraiser Jerry Sahagian, chair of McKee’s campaign finance committee, said that between a private reception hosted by Carpianato Group’s CEO Kelly Coates and the main fundraiser, the events combined attracted nearly 400 people. 

And, McKee’s campaign spokesman Michael Trainor told GoLocal, “Between the private event and the main fundraiser, the event raised an estimated $100,000 when all the checks get counted.”

For McKee, increasing his pace of fundraising is critical to winning reelection. Presently, he trails Rhode Island Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, and General Treasurer Seth Magaziner in campaign funds. The four are expected to go head to head in the Democratic primary in September of 2022.