PIERRE — South Dakotans had better get ready for political advertising, because many of the state’s candidates for governor and Congress are flush with cash.

Candidates for major offices in South Dakota collected more than $5 million in donations last year, with five candidates raising at least $300,000 in 2009.

Fundraising reports for candidates were due to the Federal Election Commission or the South Dakota Secretary of State by Jan. 31.

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Republican Sen. John Thune leads the pack with $2.8 million raised despite not yet having a Democratic challenger.

Democratic Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin outraised both her Republican opponents combined, though neither Secretary of State Chris Nelson nor state Rep. Blake Curd started fundraising until September.

Curd said his strong fundraising reflected support for his candidacy.

“These fundraising numbers are an indicator of the support our campaign is receiving from individuals and families throughout South Dakota,” Curd said in a statement.

But Nelson countered that Curd’s high fundraising was just a result of “a handful of large checks” compared to Nelson’s small-donation fundraising.

“Your $25, $50 and $100 checks added up,” Nelson said in a statement.

Herseth Sandlin collected $517,134 over the year. During the fourth quarter, when all three candidates were raising money, she raised $224,424.

Nelson raised $56,239. Curd brought in $181,382. Both Republicans spent around $18,000 during the same time period, leaving Curd with $163,333 in the bank and Nelson holding on to $38,067.

Out of Curd’s total, $37,050 is for the general election and can’t be spent until after the June 8 primary. All of Nelson’s money is for the primary election.

Herseth Sandlin does not have a primary challenger. She did not release a statement about her fundraising.

The three candidates for the House of Representatives combined raised more than $750,000 in 2009.

In the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard, a Republican, out-raised all his opponents with $750,136 in 2009. During the year he spent $283,000, leaving him with $1.28 million in the bank.

“I have to rely on the generosity of many friends and supporters, and they have been very kind to me,” Daugaard said.

Senate Majority Leader Dave Knudson, R-Sioux Falls, also had a strong quarter with $527,614 in donations. He spent $273,000 and has $456,962 left.

Knudson’s campaign manager Jim Hagen said the campaign was pleased with the result despite what he said was Knudson’s “busy work schedule” interfering with fundraising.

Ex-Brookings mayor Scott Munsterman said his fundraising report had been delayed due to a clerical error. Munsterman declined to release his numbers before the report is posted on the Secretary of State’s Web site, but said he raised a respectable amount.

“We’re in the middle of the pack,” Munsterman said.

West River rancher Ken Knuppe had a much more modest quarter than his rivals. Donors gave Knuppe $13,403. The former head of the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association spent $13,426 during the year, with $6,170 remaining.

“The kind of people who are supporting me, who are looking for a new direction in this state, are the kind of people who probably don’t have $1,000 to spend on a political campaign,” Knuppe said in a statement.

All four men declared their candidacy in 2008 and so had all year to reach their totals.

State Sen. Gordon Howie, R-Rapid City, also is running for governor, but Howie did not declare his candidacy until January and so did not have to file a fundraising report for 2009.

On the Democratic side, Senate Minority Leader Scott Heidepriem collected $338,826 since entering the race in July. He spent $146,053 and has $196,552 in the bank.

Heidepriem’s campaign said one-third of his funds were from Republicans and Independent voters.

That’s a big lead on his only rival, ex-legislator Ron Volesky. Volesky’s report showed $0 raised and $0 spent during the two months since he declared his candidacy in November.

All together, candidates for governor raised more than $1.6 million.