Gov. Tony Evers raised $656,763 over the first six months of the year, his campaign says.

That’s $161,000 more than the guv raised over the first half of 2018 as he sought the Dem guv nomination.

But it’s also well short of the $2.5 million that then-Gov. Scott Walker raised during the first six months of his time in the East Wing. That happened in 2011 as he became a national figure in the fight over his proposal to strip most public employees of collective bargaining powers.

Evers’ campaign said his fundraising haul includes $259,112 from PACs. He spent $350,132 during the six-month period and finished June with $653,537.

Evers also used his inaugural events to raise nearly $500,000 for charity and didn’t direct any of the proceeds to his campaign, unlike his predecessor.

Evers’ campaign told WisPolitics.com last month his inaugural events pulled in more than $920,000. After paying expenses, the remaining $496,038 was donated to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee.

In 2011, Walker directed $17,771 from his inaugural events to his personal campaign committee with the remaining $53,315 going to the state GOP. Four years ago, all of the proceeds went to the Republican Party of Wisconsin, though a Walker spokesman couldn’t provide the total figure.

Evers’ full report hadn’t been posted to the Ethics Commission’s website by late afternoon.

Fundraising reports for state candidates detailing their activities during the first six months of 2019 are due by day’s end.

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