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Records Show Snyder Has Given Millions To Campaign

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Snyder vastly outspent his GOP rivals to win Aug. 3 GOP primary.

He also spent seven times more than Democratic winner Virg Bernero, according to campaign finance reports filed Thursday.
   Snyder, a wealthy Ann Arbor businessman and former president of computer maker Gateway Inc., gave his campaign $6.1 million and raised $2 million from other donors. He then spent $7.6 million, more than twice as much as anyone else in the race.

Among his fellow Republicans, Attorney General Mike Cox spent $3.3 million, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard spent $2.2 million, U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra spent more than $1.7 million and state Sen. Tom George spent nearly $402,000.

Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon, who lost to Bernero, raised $1.8 million and spent $1.7 million. Outside groups spent over $700,000 on television ads supporting him.

Bernero, the Lansing mayor, raised $1 million, including nearly $95,000 he loaned his campaign. He also got around $112,000 in public matching funds.

Although he didn't pay for any television ads, Bernero's campaign was helped by more than $1.8 million in ads paid for by the Genesee County Democratic Committee with union help. The unions are expected to help Bernero with ads leading up to the Nov. 2 general election.

The seven gubernatorial candidates had to file post-primary reports by Thursday with the Michigan Secretary of State's office. They cover the period from Jan. 1, 2009 to Aug. 23, 2010.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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