Six candidates for statewide office whose opponents chose to participate in the state’s public financing program, by agreeing to spending limits, have filed the required statements declaring the maximum amounts their campaigns will spend in the primary election.
Though they did not decide to participate in the state’s public financing program, the six candidates below were still required to declare a self-imposed spending cap, displayed next to their names, because they are opposed in the primary by candidates who agreed to participate.
Governor (Statutory limit: $1.5 million)
· Christopher Doughty: $6 million. The limit for Doughty’s Republican primary opponent, Geoffrey Diehl, now increases to $6 million from the statutory limit.
Lieutenant Governor (Statutory limit: $625,000)
· Kimberley Driscoll: $2 million. Because a Democratic opponent, Eric Lesser, set a self-imposed spending limit of $5 million, all candidates in the race have the same spending limit, $5 million.
· Eric Lesser: $5 million. The limit for Lesser’s Democratic primary opponents, Tami Gouveia and Kimberley Driscoll, is now $5 million.
· Kate Campanale: $1.5 million. The limit for Campanale’s Republican primary opponent, Leah Allen, now increases to $1.5 million from the statutory limit.
Attorney General (Statutory limit: $625,000)
· Andrea Joy Campbell: $3 million. Because an opponent, Shannon Liss-Riordan, set a self- imposed spending limit of $12 million, all candidates in the Democratic race have the same spending limit, $12 million.
· Shannon Liss-Riordan: $12 million. The limit for Liss-Riordan’s primary opponents, Andrea Joy Campbell and Quentin Palfrey, is now $12 million.
Five of the state’s 20 party-affiliated statewide candidates decided to participate in the state’s program for public financing of campaigns by filing spending declarations with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
The state’s system for public financing offers public funds, depending on availability, to statewide candidates in return for their agreeing to spending limits, which vary according to the office sought. For example, gubernatorial candidates agree to limit expenditures to $1.5 million for the primary campaign (June 8 – Sept. 6) and $1.5 million for the general election campaign (Sept. 7 – Nov. 8). In return, each gubernatorial candidate who is participating is eligible for up to $750,000 for each of the two campaign periods, if funds are available.
The amount of money in the State Election Campaign Fund that will be available to participating candidates will be determined in early July. OCPF estimates the amount of available funds at approximately $1 million in 2022, to be divided evenly between the primary and general election campaigns. One candidate for governor agreed to limit spending and participate in the public financing program: Republican Geoffrey Diehl. If the Diehl Committee is certified, meaning if it has applied and submitted to OCPF the minimum threshold of $75,000 in qualifying matching contributions for the primary, there will not be money available for other statewide candidates in the primary election.
Candidates can choose not to pursue the funds by not taking the necessary steps to receive money.
After the primary, all candidates who have not agreed to limit spending and who are opposed in the general election by candidates who have agreed to do so will have to declare their self-imposed limit by Sept. 9 for the final general election campaign period of Sept. 7 – Nov. 8.
The sole source of funding for public financing is the State Election Campaign fund, which allows taxpayers to direct $1 from their tax liability on their annual income tax returns to the fund.
Spending Limits For The 2022 Primary
Election Spending Limit Election Spending Limit
Governor No Limit $6 million
Lt Gov. $5 million $1.5 million
Attorney General $12 million $625,000
Secretary No Limit No Limit
Treasurer No Limit No Candidate Organized
Auditor No Limit No Limit