Port: Independent Senate candidate Rick Becker’s fundraising report doesn’t show a groundswell of support
MINOT, N.D. — To hear former Republican turned independent candidate Rick Becker tell it, he’s riding a wave of popularity from North Dakota conservatives toward an upset victory over incumbent Republican Sen. John Hoeven.
If that’s true, it isn’t showing up in his financial reports.
According to Becker’s October quarterly report, he’s raised just over $170,000 so far this election cycle. But of that total, $100,000 is money Becker loaned to his own campaign, and of the other roughly $70,000, nearly $12,000, or about 17%, came from people with the last name “Becker.”
Even counting apparent family members, Becker received itemized donations from just 54 individuals (he also received just over $11,000 in unitemized contributions, though it’s not clear how many individual donors that represents).
This is not the stuff upset electoral victories are made of.
