Minnesota Elections: Out-of-State Tech Investor Spends $5 Million Against DFL Candidates

Scott Banister, a libertarian tech investor from California, directed $5.07 million toward opposing DFL candidates in 57 Minnesota House and Senate races. The independent expenditures, made through his entity First Amendment LLC, funded digital, mail, and phone advertisements beginning in September. This spending represented the largest single source of outside money in many of the contested districts.

The scale of Banister’s individual contribution stands apart from typical state legislative campaigns. Jeff Sigurdson, director of the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board, noted that such volume from a single private individual is rare. He stated that he has served with the board since 2000 and had previously seen only one similar expenditure, which amounted to between $2,000 and $3,000. Sigurdson described the current situation as distinct from standard outside committee spending.

Banister’s spending varied in impact depending on the specific race. In Senate District 14 in St. Cloud, his $132,042 contribution formed a smaller portion of the over $3.5 million in total outside spending. In contrast, his $195,487 expenditure against DFL challenger Steven Schroer in Lakeville’s Senate District 57 accounted for 98% of all outside spending in that district. A committee called Empower Minnesota spent only $1,875 against the Republican incumbent, Sen. Zach Duckworth, in the same race.

The highest individual spend occurred in House District 34A, a suburban race between Republican Rep. Danny Nadeau and DFL candidate Jason Heaser. Banister directed $229,275 in attack ads against Heaser, making it the most expensive House race in the state. Heaser argued that the spending revealed a problem with money in politics, noting that Banister was influencing elections that did not directly affect his personal interests. Heaser said, “They are using their money to try to influence elections that don’t directly impact them, and I think that’s wrong.”

Nadeau, who represents Rogers, Champlin, and Dayton, said he usually does not focus on outside spending. However, he observed that negative ads and external funding felt more pronounced this year. He expressed hope that voters would prioritize candidate messaging over outside advertisements. Nadeau noted, “It sure takes away from candidates being able to get their message out when everyone gets really tired of seeing these ads and mailers.” The largest expenditure against Nadeau came from the MN Family Prosperity Project, which spent $107,799.

Administrative delays affected the public visibility of Banister’s spending. His initial reports were due the day after he began spending on September 21, but only covered money spent through September 15. The next filing deadline was October 26. Because outside spending by individuals is rare, the board lacked a designated section on its website for such data. Sigurdson said the board treated the spending as if it came from a committee to avoid further delays in making the figures public. This classification prevented a potential $5 million undercount in known outside spending before Election Day.

Banister’s Minnesota efforts were part of a larger national campaign. He was reportedly responsible for $40 million in dark money directed against Democrats in Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, and other states. MinnPost sought comment from Banister and his vendor, Make Liberty Win of Fairfax, Virginia, but received no response as of publication. A LinkedIn profile listed Banister’s home as Half Moon Bay, California.