Super PAC, Outside Money Comes to Lakeville's Mayoral Race

Editor's note: It's not news that folks in Lakeville are getting attack ads in their mailboxes. That's pretty common. It is news when those mailers come from national Super PACs since it's not typical for groups who generate millions of dollars to support presidential races to get involved in local mayoral elections. Nor is it typical for a mayoral candidate of a suburban town to raise more than $6,000 in cash from places and groups in other states. The confluence of these two items has made this topic newsworthy.

Lakeville's mayoral race is getting strange.

Usually mayoral races are entirely local. Local candidates getting local support and local donations. But this year's mayoral race is generating some outside attention.

Over the weekend it got particularly interesting with last-minute mailers attacking Council-member and mayoral candidate Matt Little from a massive, nationally known Super PAC that has been strongly supporting Mitt Romney for President.

Americans for Prosperity Minnesota is the state-wing of a huge, multi-million dollar, Super PAC founded by Charles and David Koch—owners of Koch Industries. The mailers sent by the group attacked Little for his opposition to outsource electrical inspecti.

On the flip side, Little has drawn ire from local conservatives for the massive fundraising haul he amassed this year, more than $6,000 of which came from people and groups outside Lakeville. Among the donations to Little: the Boilermakers 647 Political Action Fund, IBEW Local 110, and individuals who live in Texas and Washington.

Little sent an email to Lakeville Patch acknowledging the outside donations, but also pointing to the $8,432.52 he says came from Lakeville residents. The average of those donations, he said, were $71.

It's not understood why Americans for Prosperity is sending out mailers in Lakeville. A call to their office was not returned. It's also not clear if they're meant to benefit either of the other two candidates running: incumbent Mayor Mark Bellows or Council-member Laurie Rieb.

However a tweet from Americans for Prosperity Minnesota said "Matt Little voted against a move to save taxpayers money to protect an unnecessary union job."

It's also not known how many local candidates across the state Americans for Prosperity is in support of, or attacking.