(Developing: Will update as warranted)
The super PAC affiliated with EMILY’s List is spending nearly $700,000 in the Democratic primary for the 3rd District congressional seat on behalf of Shawnee lawyer Sharice Davids.
Women Vote! filed a report on Tuesday revealing that it’s spending another $259,000 in the 3rd District where Davids is battling to separate herself from a six-person field that includes Brent Welder, Tom Niermann, Mike McCamon, Jay Sidie and Sylvia Williams.
About $230,000 of that amount went to a television ad buy and another $21,000 went for a mailing.
Davids is seeking to become the first Native American woman elected to Congress. She also would be the first openly gay member of the Kansas congressional delegation.
The latest independent expenditure means that the super PAC affiliated with EMILY’s list has spent $687,000 to help Davids heading into the Aug. 7 Democratic primary. EMILY’s List endorsed Davids earlier this year.
The independent expenditure gives a substantial boost to Davids who only entered the race in February, but still has raised close to $350,000 in less than six months. While she didn’t raise more than Welder or Niermann in the last quarter she came within a several thousand dollars of the leader, Welder.
When combined with Women Vote!’s independent expenditure, there’s about a $1 million going into Davids’ campaign for the 3rd District.
By comparison, Welder – the labor lawyer – has raised $734,000 through July 18, including a $55,000 loan.
Niermann, the Prairie Village teacher, had pulled in $726,000.
Williams, the Leawood businesswoman, reported bringing in $314,000, including a $258,000 loan she made to the campaign.
McCamon, buoyed by a $138,000 loan, had raised $172,993. And Sidie, the 2016 3rd District Democratic nominee, raised $101,000.
In the 18-day reporting period that ended on July 18, Welder led the field, raising $58,056, but Davids was second with $45,800 and Niermann was third with $29,105.
McCamon has brought in $6,386 during the 18-day, pre-primary period. Williams raised $2,669 during the period while Sidie reported receiving $1,901.
The candidate who emerges from the packed Democratic field most likely faces Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder, who has a primary against two lesser-known challengers. Yoder has raised about $2.8 million and is sitting with about $1.8 million in the bank.
