He Knew He'd Get The Bartender's Vote

This is the wrong way to do it, in case you were confused.

A state assembly candidate’s treasurer is accused of spending the campaign’s
war chest at a Manawa tavern. [...]

Asman served as the campaign treasurer for Hyde Murray of Waupaca in the summer of 2006. Murray sought the Republican nomination for the 40th District Assembly seat [...]

Murray discovered in July 2006 that Asman had been writing checks from the Hyde Murray for Assembly account to the Thunder’n Bar in Manawa, usually in amounts of $50. In all, about 26 checks were written totaling $1,285, according to the criminal complaint.

Even after the account was closed and Asman fired as treasurer, he continued to write checks from the account, prosecutors say. After the account was closed, he
cashed five additional checks totaling $300 at the bar. The five checks all
bounced.

So Asman wrote checks for $1285 at the bar. Surely, that's just a small percentage of the campaigns total.

Murray raised and spent $2,181 during his unsuccessful campaign, according
to campaign finance reports.

The bar’s owner told the Manawa police chief the checks were “cashed so that he (Asman) could drink.”When confronted by police and asked if the expenditures were for campaign purposes, Asman replied “yes, to use the term liberally.”

Bartenders at the Thunder’n said Asman used the money to purchase J. Bavet brandy and Cokes, and food.

It's hard to get elected up by Chain O'Lakes if you're not a Korbel drinker. I'm teeling you.