Braun Loans Himself More Than $2 Million To Boost Latest Fundraising Haul

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) headed into the final stretch of Indiana’s contentious U.S. Senate race with more than $2.5 million more in his campaign war chest than Republican challenger Mike Braun.

Braun took in more than Donnelly last quarter, though nearly half of it came out of his own pocket.

Donnelly set a personal fundraising record in 2018’s third quarter – he took in about $3 million. Mike Braun trumped him, posting a $5.6 million fundraising period.

But more than $2 million of Braun’s haul was from checks the Republican wrote to himself. That’s after he said he planned not to spend his own money on the campaign after the May primary.

Donnelly collected about $740,000 in small-dollar contributions last quarter to Braun’s $413,000. Candidates often boast about small-dollar giving as a sign of grassroots support.