Local campaigns bring in tens of thousands in contributions

Money again is rolling in for local campaigns, with the money five of six legislative candidates had in the bank in the latest reports totalling nearly $60,000.

The staff members of the office of the state Commissioner of Political Practices still were loading the latest campaign finance reports, due Oct. 25, onto the commissioner's website today, with the reports of Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, Rep. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, Don Richman, Greg Jergeson and Brenda Skornogoski online by this morning.

The report of Democrat Karen Sloan, who is challenging Warburton in House District 34, was not yet online by deadline this morning.

Skornogoski, a Democrat, is challenging Hansen in House District 33. Jergeson is taking the Democratic side of the ticket while Richman is the Republican candidate in Senate District 17. Sen. Craig Tilleman, R-Havre, who was appointed to take the place of Sen. Rowlie Hutton, R-Havre, after Hutton resigned, did not run for re-election.

The top money-getter in the local races was Don Richman, who reported $15,455 in receipts for a total received and in the bank of $16,031.38. His receipts included $1,710 from 12 political action committees, and $800 from the Blaine County Republican Central Committee and $50 each from the Hill and Pondera county Republican central committees.

After deducting $9,506.66 in expenditures, Richman reported having $6,524.72 still in the bank Oct. 24.

The next highest receipts came for Richman's opponent. Jergeson ended with $10,235 in receipts and $13,194.74 with what he still had in the bank.

Jergeson's receipts included $1,780 from 13 PACs, and $1,200 from the Blaine and Hill county Democratic committees.

He reported still having $1,237.78 in the bank after deducting $11,956.96 in expenditures.

The next highest total was for Hansen. She reported a bank total of $10,652.10 including new receipts of $8,377.

That included $890 from seven PACs, $100 from the Stillwater County Republican Central Committee; and $160 from the Pondera County Republican Central Committee.

She reported still having $3,117.95 in the bank after deducting $7,534.05 in expenditures.

Warburton reported just less in the bank than Hansen, with receipts of $8,040 and a bank total of $10,532.02.

That included $610 received from six PACs and $850 from the Hill County Republican Central Committee and $350 from the Blaine County Republican Committee.

She reported having $3,032.29 still in the bank after deducting $7,499.73 in expenditures.

Skornogoski reported $6,950.58 in receipts for a total bank amount of $8,558.84. That included receipts from eight PACs and the Hill County Democratic Committee, although the amounts were not available via the Internet.

Her bank balance after deducting $5,550.42 in expenditures was $3,008.42, Skornogoski reported.

The reports are available on the commissioner's website at http://politicalpractices.mt.gov/ at "Search for candidate or committee activity. "