Sifting Through Campaign Contributions, Expenses

Finance reports released by Tom Corbett and Dan Onorato’s campaigns this week provide a glimpse behind the scenes of the race for governor of Pennsylvania.
DUQ's Scott Detrow took a look inside the report.
Scores of insurance companies, including Geico, Metlife and AllState – as well as the American Council of Life Insurers, donated to Corbett’s campaign.
Much of Onorato’s political action committee support came from labor groups and law firms.
Both candidates received money from companies drilling for gas in Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale formation: Cabot Oil and Gas, who has been fined by the Department of Environmental Protection for serious violations, gave 10-thousand dollars to Corbett, while Range Resources donated 55-hundred to Onorato.
On the expense side, Corbett spent 2,512 dollars on helium for balloons last quarter, while Onorato purchased nearly 900 dollars in stickers on one occasion.
Onorato spent 108-thousand 200 dollars on polling, and Corbett dropped 67-thousand 383 dollars on airfare.
The Republican campaign also spent more than 34-thousand dollars making calls to voters, 9 thousand dollars on yard signs, more than 56 thousand dollars on printing and mailing campaign literature, and 2,512 dollars on helium for balloons.
Corbett spent 30-thousand dollars on TV ad production, and another 415-thousand on buying air time.
That’s compared to the 40-thousand and 450-thousand Dan Onorato’s campaign spent for producing and airing its commercials.
Onorato also bought 10-thousand dollars in Google ads for the “Clueless Tom” online campaign he ran this summer, and spent 32-thousand dollars on various expenses related to a fundraiser with former President Bill Clinton.
The Democratic campaign spent 19-hundred dollars renting port-o-potties for a Philadelphia picnic, and subscribed to the Reading Eagle for 206 dollars.
In all, Onorato’s campaign spent 1.8 million dollars last quarter, and Corbett’s spent 1.7.