http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-910541.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – Mills reported Wednesday he already has shelled out close to $3.2
million in his bid to be the Republican nominee for governor.
That dwarfs the $770,000 in public funds going to incumbent Jan
Brewer and state treasurr Dean Martin, and totally eclipses the
$11,000 Matt Jette has spent on his campaign. It also is far more
than what had been the most expensive primary in state history --
the successful effort by Fife Symington to get the GOP nod for
governor in 1990. Mills campaign manager Camilla Strongin said
the expenditure is justified.
(As someone that's never held public office, its expensive to get
your message out and introduce yourself to the voters so that you
can get to a point where people know who you are and understand
where you stand.)
Strongin said less than 5 percent of what Mills has spent has
come from outside donors.
(He running on his money, not public dollars, the taxpayer-funded
contributions. So the majority of that money has been money that
he and his wife have given to the campaign at this point.)
Strongin declined to disclose the campaign budget, though Mills
himself has said he will spend -- quote -- whatever it takes --
unquote -- to get the nomination. For Arizona Public Radio this
is Howard Fischer.