Schweitzer/Bohlinger funds pass $775K mark

By CHARLES S. JOHNSON, IR State Bureau 10/08/07

Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer has eclipsed the $775,000 mark in donations to his 2008 re-election campaign, a report filed Friday showed.

Schweitzer, still unopposed for governor, and his running mate, Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger, have raised what their campaign called a governor's race record of $775,489 at this time through Sept. 30 - $601,427 for the primary campaign and $174,062 for the general election. If Schweitzer doesn't have a primary challenger, he would have to return the $174,062 to donors.

So far, his campaign has spent $149,107 to leave a balance for both his primary and general election funds of $626,382 as of Sept. 30.

Although several Republicans have looked at running against Schweitzer, no one has officially entered the race yet.

"Montana is on the move," Schweitzer said in a statement his administration's achievements in cutting taxes, creating jobs, producing energy and investing more money in schools. "These are real results that John and I have delivered for our state, and folks all across Montana are seeing the progress."

Schweitzer said 84 percent of the campaign's 5,430 donors came from Montana, although the campaign did not break down what percentage of the money came from Montana. Republicans have criticized Schweitzer's out-of-state fund-raisers, although Schweitzer defends them, noting that he does not take money from special-interest political action committees or PACs.

The average donation was $141, he said, with more than 2,300 contributors giving less than $100.

Here are how other candidates fared:

- SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE. Attorney General Mike McGrath is the lone candidate so far for the seat now held by Karla Gray, who decided not to seek re-election. McGrath has raised $72,660, including $70,315 for the past three months. His spending totals $11,750 to leave a balance of $60,910 as of Sept. 30.

- ATTORNEY GENERAL. On the Democratic side, Steve Bullock, a Helena lawyer in private practice, reported raising $97,073 so far, including $10,440 the past three months, and spending $21,836 to leave him a bank balance of $75,237 on Sept. 30.

Former Democratic Sen. Mike Wheat, a private practice attorney in Bozeman, has raised $67,467 so far, including $5,790 the past four months, and spent $7,238 to leave a bank balance of $60,229 as of Sept. 30. As debts, Wheat lists $30,000 he lent his campaign earlier this year.

House Minority Leader John Parker, D-Great Falls, has collected $46,793, including $10,448 the past three months, and spent a total of $5,150 to leave a balance of $41,643 as of Sept. 30.

On the Republican side, Tim Fox, a Helena lawyer with a private practice, has raised $15,449, including $12,599 for the past three months, spent $6,302 and had $9,147 left in the bank on Sept. 30. He reported a $3,000 debt to Allegra, a Helena copying shop.

Republican Lee Bruner, a private practice attorney in Butte, reported raising $4,945 so far, including $2,945 the past three months. He has spent a total of $2,660 and registered a balance of $2,285.

- AUDITOR. The Democratic candidate, former Rep. Monica Lindeen of Huntley, has brought in $34,841 so far, including $11,549 during the past three months, while spending a total of $9,200 to leave $25,641 in the bank as of Sept. 30. Lindeen listed as a debt an earlier $1,000 loan she made to her own campaign.

On the Republican side, former Sen. Duane Grimes, R-Clancy, has not announced his candidacy yet, but has begun raising money. In his initial campaign finance report, Grimes had raised $19,954, including a $2,000 personal loan, and spent $1,339 to leave a balance of $18,615 on Sept. 30. As debts, Grimes listed $2,000 he lent to his campaign.

- SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION. Democrat Denise Juneau, an administrator in the Office of Public Instruction, reported raising $29,895 so far, including $10,180 for the last three months. She has spent $15,932 to leave a cash balance of $13,963 on Sept. 30. Her latest report corrected some earlier numbers and brought her cash balance to $14.293. As a debt, Juneau lists $10,000 that she lent her campaign previously.

Rep. Holly Raser, D-Missoula, filed a revised report Friday night showing she's received $20,903 so far, including $18,600 the past quarter, and spent a total of $2,327 to leave a balance of $18,506. The bulk of her quarterly donations came from a $16,000 personal loan Raser made to her campaign.

Raser's initial report filed earlier Friday showed she received an $11,000 loan from Robert Moore of Laguna Niguel, Calif., and a $5,000 loan from Vicki Thorton of Arlee, her sister and treasurer. These two loans would have been illegal because individuals may give or lend a candidate for superintendent no more than $250 in the primary and $250 in the general election. Candidates, however, may donate or loan as much money as they wish to their own campaigns. When the mistake was called to the campaign's attention, Raser filed the revised report.

Democrat Claudette Morton of Helena, a long-time educator and administrator, has raised $11,917, including $5,982 the past three months. She has spent a total of $1,836 to leave a balance of $10,081 as of Sept. 30.

State Sen. Sam Kitzenberg, D-Glasgow, in his first report, collected $5,020, spent $3,066 and had a balance of $1,954 on Sept. 30.

- SECRETARY OF STATE. Republican incumbent Brad Johnson has garnered $41,779 so far, including $21,013 over the past three months. Johnson has spent $19,187 to leave a balance of $22,592 as of Sept. 30. Of his total receipts, Johnson has collected $2,415 for the general election and the rest for the primary election. As debts, he listed an unpaid bill of $5,000 to FLS Connect, a St. Paul, Minn., telemarketing firm.

In her first report, Democratic challenger Linda McCulloch, who is now state superintendent of public instruction, has brought in $13,435 so far, including a $10,000 loan from herself. She has spent $1,237 to leave a cash balance of $12,198 on Sept. 30.

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Reader Comments:

purple wrote on Oct 9, 2007 6:44 AM:

" The governor "claims" he will not accept money from political action committees, however, one has to wonder who from outside the state has been donating to his campaign. I seem to recall during Max Baucus' last campaign the vast majority of campaign funds he had at his disposal came from outside the state - which amounted to him representing other states more than his home state since he was beholding to them more than us. That being said, whom is the governor working for - those outside the state or Montanans? "


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