MONROE - According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, $3 of every $4 in election coffers belongs to incumbents.
Along with financial advantages, incumbents benefit from name recognition and free publicity as they issue press releases to announce new legislation.
It's the financial impact, however, that plays the biggest role in a campaign. Advertising on television, radio or in newspapers costs money. Candidates who can spend more money on their advertising budgets generally have a better chance of winning re-election.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, is running for his third term. As of Aug. 25, Davis had about $94,000 on hand compared to about $1,700 for challenger John Waelti, D-Monroe.
Waelti said the difference in cash for incumbents and challengers has always been difficult.
"The incumbent has a heck of an advantage," he said. "It's always a tough issue."
Challengers know they face an uphill climb when it comes to raising money, Waelti said, but they have to do the best they can.
"If we gave up they'd (the incumbents) be in there for life," he said.
Challengers have to find alternative ways to get their names before the voters.
"We have to work harder and work smarter," Waelti said.
Working harder means knocking on doors and talking to as many constituents as possible before they go to the polls, he added. It also means addressing the concerns of the voters and listening to their opinions.
Davis said he plans to focus on getting things done for the district and pointed out he plans to knock on hundreds of doors before the campaign is over. It's the same strategy he's used in previous elections.
However, Davis agrees that incumbents do have an advantage and in some cases incumbents get much money from outside their district. Most of the money from his campaign has come from supporters within the 80th Assembly District, Davis added.
"It's humbling. I've been overwhelmed by the grass roots support," he said. "People have written checks for $20 or $25."
Davis said local people have helped finance his campaign for re-election and he views it as a testament to his hard work. He has received some money from people outside of the district, he added.
"We've gotten some money from virtual school parents," he said.
Davis led the effort to keep virtual schools in the state open earlier this year.
Davis said he expects Waelti to receive money from the state Democratic party before the election. Waelti said he doesn't know when he will receive assistance from the Democratic Party or how much he would receive.
The 80th District is one of the Assembly Districts targeted by Democrats as a possible district to pick up this fall.
Davis said he's been the target of the Democratic Party since he first won office four years ago.
There's a difference between money on hand for 51st Assembly District incumbent Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, and challenger Nathan Russell, R-Sauk City, but it isn't as wide as the gap between Davis and Waelti.
Hilgenberg had about $32,500 on hand as of Aug. 25 while Russell had about $8,800.
Hilgenberg said he's at about the same level financially as he was two years when he first ran for the Assembly. Most of his contributions have been between $50 and $100. He doesn't want money from political action committees, he said, because he doesn't want to be beholden to special interests.
Russell said he's raised as much money as he's expected to raise this year and said Hilgenberg has more money because he had a year more to raise money.
"About 76 percent of the money I've raised has come from people inside my district," he said. The rest of the money has come from people outside his district who support his ideas.
Russell said he's not in favor of public financing, something Waelti said he supports, because people shouldn't have to support candidates with whom they disagree.
Along with financial advantages, incumbents benefit from name recognition and free publicity as they issue press releases to announce new legislation.
It's the financial impact, however, that plays the biggest role in a campaign. Advertising on television, radio or in newspapers costs money. Candidates who can spend more money on their advertising budgets generally have a better chance of winning re-election.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, is running for his third term. As of Aug. 25, Davis had about $94,000 on hand compared to about $1,700 for challenger John Waelti, D-Monroe.
Waelti said the difference in cash for incumbents and challengers has always been difficult.
"The incumbent has a heck of an advantage," he said. "It's always a tough issue."
Challengers know they face an uphill climb when it comes to raising money, Waelti said, but they have to do the best they can.
"If we gave up they'd (the incumbents) be in there for life," he said.
Challengers have to find alternative ways to get their names before the voters.
"We have to work harder and work smarter," Waelti said.
Working harder means knocking on doors and talking to as many constituents as possible before they go to the polls, he added. It also means addressing the concerns of the voters and listening to their opinions.
Davis said he plans to focus on getting things done for the district and pointed out he plans to knock on hundreds of doors before the campaign is over. It's the same strategy he's used in previous elections.
However, Davis agrees that incumbents do have an advantage and in some cases incumbents get much money from outside their district. Most of the money from his campaign has come from supporters within the 80th Assembly District, Davis added.
"It's humbling. I've been overwhelmed by the grass roots support," he said. "People have written checks for $20 or $25."
Davis said local people have helped finance his campaign for re-election and he views it as a testament to his hard work. He has received some money from people outside of the district, he added.
"We've gotten some money from virtual school parents," he said.
Davis led the effort to keep virtual schools in the state open earlier this year.
Davis said he expects Waelti to receive money from the state Democratic party before the election. Waelti said he doesn't know when he will receive assistance from the Democratic Party or how much he would receive.
The 80th District is one of the Assembly Districts targeted by Democrats as a possible district to pick up this fall.
Davis said he's been the target of the Democratic Party since he first won office four years ago.
There's a difference between money on hand for 51st Assembly District incumbent Steve Hilgenberg, D-Dodgeville, and challenger Nathan Russell, R-Sauk City, but it isn't as wide as the gap between Davis and Waelti.
Hilgenberg had about $32,500 on hand as of Aug. 25 while Russell had about $8,800.
Hilgenberg said he's at about the same level financially as he was two years when he first ran for the Assembly. Most of his contributions have been between $50 and $100. He doesn't want money from political action committees, he said, because he doesn't want to be beholden to special interests.
Russell said he's raised as much money as he's expected to raise this year and said Hilgenberg has more money because he had a year more to raise money.
"About 76 percent of the money I've raised has come from people inside my district," he said. The rest of the money has come from people outside his district who support his ideas.
Russell said he's not in favor of public financing, something Waelti said he supports, because people shouldn't have to support candidates with whom they disagree.