Scott Walker's Democratic Opponent, Mary Burke, Raised Big Bucks Over First 3 Months

Mary Burke, a Democratic candidate for Wisconsin governor, raised nearly $1.8 million in the first three months of her run, according to a campaign release Thursday.

Burke, a former businesswoman and state commerce secretary, announced her candidacy this past October. She is the only Democrat so far in this year's race to attempt to unseat Republican Gov. Scott Walker.

The campaign's release said that more than 5,600 individual contributors made nearly 6,500 contributions and that 88 percent of contributions were $100 or less. Burke has also contributed $400,000 of her own money to her campaign. Walker has yet to announce his fundraising numbers.

Progressives United, a political action committee founded by former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), endorsed Burke despite some apprehension about her candidacy from liberal groups and labor leaders. So far, Burke has refused to call for the repeal of Act 10, the Walker-supported law that slashed the collective bargaining rights of public employees. The law sparked massive protests in Madison in 2011 and drove the failed recall election targeting Walker and Republican state legislators.

The Democratic Governors Association is also backing Burke's candidacy.

“Wisconsin is ready for new leadership and voters across the state are responding enthusiastically to Mary’s common sense approach that puts problem solving ahead of politics,” said Maggie Brickerman, Burke's campaign manager, in the release. “We couldn’t be happier with the level of support Mary has received out of the gate and are confident that we will have the resources necessary to clearly lay out for the people of Wisconsin the choice, and the stakes, in this election.”