The top 100 political givers in Minnesota have contributed $4.1 million to campaigns so far during the 2008 election cycle — an average of roughly $41,000 per household. Republican donors have cut checks for $2.3 million, while their Democratic counterparts have doled out $1.8 million. To get a better understanding of the state’s most generous political patrons, the Minnesota Independent commissioned a study by the Center for Responsive Politics looking at the top 100 contributors.

In our first analysis of these figures, we concentrated on the bottom quarter of the list, donors who have contributed between $23,471 and $28,900. Today we look at the next 25 names on the list, occupying slots 51 through 75. This series will also kick off a new department at the site that we’re calling “The Crunch.” It will be devoted to digging into campaign-finance and public-records databases to unearth compelling Minnesota stories.

While Minnesota’s top political donors split fairly even across party lines, Republicans dominate slots 51 through 75 on the list. These donors have given a total of $488,360 to GOP candidates so far this election cycle, nearly double the $249,887 donated to Democratic politicians. Roughly two thirds of the contributors on this section of the list have contributed exclusively to Republicans.

A handful of prominent political names dot the list, most notably Jeff Larson. The Hudson, Wisconsin resident has given $30,800 to GOP candidates since the beginning of 2007, making him the 65th most generous political patron in the state. One interesting omission: no money for John McCain. Larson is one of the most renowned Republican operatives in the country. He’s a partner in Feather Larson & Synhorst (also known as FLS Connect), one of the nation’s largest political fundraising and consulting firms, and a close confidant of U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman. But until recently, Larson had largely flown below the radar locally.

Coleman’s ties to Larson date back at least to his time as Mayor of St. Paul. The Senator’s campaign and Northstar Leadership PAC have paid FLS Connect more than $1.5 million for consulting services and rent since 2001. More recently the relationship has drawn scrutiny after the National Journal revealed that Coleman is renting a basement apartment in a house owned by Larson on Capitol Hill. The Senator pays just $600 a month for the dwelling and had a shoddy history of staying current on rent and utilities until the arrangement became public. This seemingly sweetheart deal has prompted a complaint with the Senate ethics committee by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington charging that it violates the legislative body’s gift ban.

Four spots higher on the list is another familiar name: Rudy Boschwitz. The former U.S. Senator and his wife, Ellen, have doled out $31,800 to candidates this election cycle. Not surprisingly, all but $500 of that money has gone to GOP bank accounts. The sole Democrats to benefit from their largesse are from out of state: Reps. Shelley Berkley (NV) and Eliot Engel (NY). Boschwitz has also been a prolific fundraiser for Republican presidential candidates in recent elections, raising between $50,000 and $100,000 for McCain’s campaign this time around. In 2000 he earned the title “Bush Pioneer” by bringing in nearly $400,000 in bundled contributions, and in 2004 he was named a “Bush Ranger,” raising more than $200,000 for the campaign.

Another prominent Republican among the top givers is less well known to the general public. Ben Whitney has contributed $30,300 to Republican candidates, placing him 68th on the list. He served as Coleman’s campaign manager during his successful 2002 Senate bid and is the son of prominent businessman and GOP pooh-bah Wheelock Whitney. The elder Whitney was the Republican-backed candidate for Senate in 1964, losing to Eugene McCarthy. He then made an unsuccessful bid for Governor in 1982 against Rudy Perpich. Ben Whitney was appointed ambassador to Norway in 2005, a post that he continues to hold.

The third quarter of the list is not without prominent Democrats. Tina Smith, who is Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak’s chief of staff and a former executive with Planned Parenthood in Minnesota and the Dakota, has spread around $32,750 in donations to Democratic candidates. That places her 51st on the list. Four slots back is Janet Robert, who has given $32,500 to Democratic candidates and causes. The Stillwater resident and attorney made an unsuccessful bid for Congress in 2002 against then-Rep. Mark Kennedy. She’s also the founder and chief financial backer of Air America Minnesota (AM-950).

Other names on the list won’t resonate with many people, but there are some interesting characters particularly on the Republican side of the ledger. Norman Hoffman has provided $32,700 to GOP candidates so far this election cycle. He and his wife, Anna, are also major patrons of the Republican Party of Minnesota, writing checks to the organization for $19,600 this election cycle. Hoffman is a North Dakota native and the retired founder of Technical Ordinance. The St. Bonifacius-based company manufactures ammunition, blasting caps, rocket parts and other military equipment. Hoffman sold the company in 2006.

But before retiring he ran into some trouble with the federal government, charged with illegally conspiring to manufacture, store and distribute explosive materials. In 1994 he was acquitted by a jury on all charges. Hoffman subsequently sued the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for malicious prosecution and infliction of emotional distress. The case, however, was ultimately dismissed.

Bryan Reichel has given $29,800 to Republican candidates since the beginning of 2007, placing him 71st on the list. The Prior Lake resident is the president of PureChoice, a company that helps building owners monitor and improve air quality. But more importantly he is the owner of the “America’s Team” trademark and has been locked in a two-decade battle with the Dallas Cowboys and the U.S. Olympic Committee over the use of the term. In 2003 he prevailed in a five-year-long legal fight with the Olympic Committee. A federal trademark panel ruled that Reichel was the rightful owner of the term.

But three years later the businessman was sued again, this time by the Cowboys, claiming that they are actually the legal owners of the phrase. Unfortunately I’ve been unable to dig up the outcome of this lawsuit, but Reichel clearly continues to “utilize the phrase”. (Don’t miss this highly entertaining rundown of the epic fight for America’s Team.”)

Here’s the complete list of donors in slots 51 through 75:

51. Tina Smith, Minneapolis, City of Minneapolis, $32,750

52. Norman Hoffman, Waconia, Technical Ordinance, $32,700

(tie) John Yackel, Circle Pines, retired, $32,700

54. Thomas Kordonowy, Wayzata, retired, $32,650

55. Janet Robert, Stillwater, Air America Minnesota, $32,500

56. Gerald Carlson, Wayzata, Phibro Animal Health, $32,400

57. Samuel Heins, Wayzata, Heins, Mills & Olsen, $32,300

58. Raymond Barton, Excelsior, Great Clips, $32,200

59. Elliot Cobb, Eden Prairie, ECA Marketing, $31,900

(tie) David Schultz, Shorewood, Maps Medical Pain Clinics, $31,900

61. Rudy Boschwitz, Minneapolis, HomeValu Inc., $31,800

62. Brandon Sawalich, Eden Prairie, Starkey Laboratories, $31,750

63. Martha Gabbert, Wayzata, $31,642

64. James Haglund, Golden Valley, Central Contractor Corp., $31,100

65. Jeff Larson, Hudson, WI, Feather Larson & Synhorst, $30,800

66. Gene Nelson, Long Lake, Medtronic, $30,500

67. Clinton Morrison, Wayzata, retired, $30,400

68. Ben Whitney, Minneapolis, businessman, $30,300

69. Doug Seaton, Edina, Seaton, Beck, Peters, Bowen & Feuss, $30,250

70. James McGuire, Edina, Best Effort, $30,200

71. Bryan Reichel, Prior Lake, PureChoice, $29,800

72. Edward Hamm, Wayzata, Acoma Oil, $29,500

73. Jill Nevel Field, Minneapolis, Leonard, Street & Deinard, $29,300

74. Julia Dayton, Minneapolis, retired, $29,195

75. Thelma White, Minneapolis, TMCK Associates, $29,160

The Crunch will be back on Wednesday for a look at donors 41 through 50 on the list of Minnesota’s 100 top political givers.

Previously in The Crunch:

Minnesota’s Top 100 political givers: 76 to 100