What Happens Now to Stupak’s Campaign Funds?

The U.P.’s voice in Congress told everyone last week that he won’t run for a 10th term.

But Bart Stupak had a sizable war chest already to spend on the campaign.

So what happens to the money?

Stupak says in the last couple of months leading up to the health care vote, he only did 2 fundraisers for his campaign.

But he says he still had about $250,000 built up.

Some of his donors will have their contributions returned to them once campaign expenses are paid for.

He says he also has the option of donating the funds to the Michigan Democratic Party or the Democratic National Committee if he thinks that’s appropriate.

Some of those expenses are for campaign staff that are still under contract to work the rest of the year.

He says any donations have to be sent to him in Menominee.

Stupak spent the last few weeks before the vote in Washington, so even if he’d gotten any big donations, he wouldn’t have seen them.

But he does say he didn’t get any.

Stupak says he knew he’d be attractive a lot of heat for his health care vote.

But that doesn’t bother him, saying it comes with the territory of voting on one’s principles.