PIERRE, S.D. –
Today Senator Billie Sutton – a rancher, community banker, fifth-generation South Dakotan, and State Senate Minority Leader – filed the first finance report of his campaign for Governor of South Dakota, raising $871,539.07 in 2017 in the seven months after launching his campaign.
“I am grateful for the support and trust the people have placed in me,” said Sutton. “This campaign is about returning power to the people of our state. That is why it is so fitting that the people are powering this campaign. My support comes from all kinds of people, across the state, and across party lines. What is common among them is our shared desire to build a stronger South Dakota around our shared South Dakota values of hard work, honesty, and integrity.”
Sutton shattered previous fundraising records through unprecedented grassroots support, raising over 2 ½ times more than any Democratic candidate for Governor in South Dakota has at this stage of the race. [See Footnote.]
Sutton’s fundraising also surpassed numerous single-year totals of Republican South Dakota Governors Daugaard and Rounds.
Sutton’s finance report demonstrates the grassroots momentum behind Sutton from people across South Dakota and the political spectrum. Sutton received over 4500 unique contributions from approximately 2700 donors. 98% of Sutton donors are from South Dakota, and 95% of donations are from individuals.
[Footnote:] The next two highest-raising Democrats reported approximately $136k (Abbott, 2002 cycle) and $338k (Heidepriem, 2010 cycle) in the off-year.