Wide spending gap reported in Waukesha County court race

March 29, 2010

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By Laurel Walker of the Journal Sentinel

March 29, 2010 0

In the race for Waukesha County circuit judge, challenger Mark Gundrum reported spending nearly $110,000 compared with more than $17,000 spent by incumbent Richard Congdon since the start of the year.

Campaign finance reports were due Monday for spring pre-election fund raising and spending through March 23.

Congdon, who was appointed to fill the Branch 2 court vacancy a year ago by Gov. Jim Doyle, continues to be at a financial disadvantage compared to Gundrum, a six-term Republican state representative who brought $117,000 to the contest from his legislative campaign kitty.

According to the latest reports, Congdon - who has lent his campaign $25,000 - had a cash balance of $25,690 two weeks before the April 6 election. Gundrum reported a balance of $40,812.

In the latest reporting period, since the start of February, Gundrum reported spending about $63,000 on printing brochures and other supplies, mailing services and postage. By contrast, Congdon reported printing and postage-related expenses ofjust under $3,000. In addition, Congdon reported expenses of about $12,000 on television for a media consultant and cable television spots while Gundrum reported just over $10,000 on radio advertising.

Contributions since the first of the year total $36,190 for Gundrum compared to $21,720 for Congdon.

The election is for a six-year term.

About Laurel Walker

Laurel Walker covered local, school and county government for 20 years -- the last half of that at the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel -- before she was named Waukesha County columnist in 1997. Today she writes about the people, places and events around metropolitan Milwaukee with a broad suburban focus. She was the youngest of nine children raised on a central Wisconsin farm before leaving the nest for journalism studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and a masters degree at the University of Oregon. She has spent the last half of her life in Waukesha County, where she and her husband raised two sons. Though she has a fondness for life in Waukesha, she eagerly partakes in the culture of the big city to the east and the recreation of the forests to the west. With sons in the arts, she has a special fondness for symphonic music concerts and art museums. She finds peace in a good book at a Northwoods getaway weekend, adventure in family visits to the east and west coasts, and satisfaction in a column well-written that reaches readers.