25 May 2014

Flathead GOP fundraising: Blasdel & Garner lead Fisher & R. Skees

Updated 28 May to include Cal Scott’s information.

Campaign finance reports (form C-5) for Montana candidates were due in the office of Montana’s Commissioner of Political Practices on Friday, 23 May 2014. Many are now available online. Here’s what I’ve learned so far about some of the Flathead’s most important primary election candidates.

Senate District 4, Blasdel v Fisher

Money is the mother’s milk of politics, and State Rep. Mark Blasdel has three times as much of it as does his opponent in the Republican primary for Senate District 4 (Kalispell, map), former Kalispell mayor Tammi Fisher. He’s spent 150 percent as much as Fisher, and has eight times as much money in the bank. See Table 1, below. Fisher donated $2,000 to her own campaign. Blasdel donated nothing to his.

The Montana Medical Association’s political action committee (scroll to bottom) is playing both sides in this contest. On 17 October 2013, the PAC gave Blasdel $160 (Blasdel C-5, page 6). On 30 April 2014, it gave Fisher $160 (Fisher C-5, page 3).

House District 4, Garner v Skees

Frank Garner raised almost three times as much as Ronalee Skees, outspent her 2.5:1, and more than twice as much left in the bank. Garner donated just over $3,000 (most listed as an in-kind contribution) to his campaign. Skees donated nothing to hers. I’m not sure, incidentally, whether Garner’s in-kind contributions are correctly classified.

Garner’s contributors include former Montana Secretary of State Bob Brown, Turner and Nancy Askew, Flathead County Ed Corrigan, Fred and Connie Leistiko, and Sandy Welch. Skees’ include Semi-Tool founder Ray Thompson, State Sen. Verdell Jackson, State Reps. Randy Brodehl and Keith Regier, retired filmmaker Gerald Molen, and global warming denier Ed Berry, Ph.D, of PolyMontana.

House District 11, Hebert v Olszewski

Extending south of Kalispell to Flathead Lake’s north and west shores, HD-11 (map) is relatively affluent and decidedly conservative. Physician Albert Olszewski, the moderate in the contest, has raised and spent approximately 25 percent more than insurance seller Mike Hebert, a Bible thumping tea partier. I’m surprised Olszewski hasn’t raised and spent more. It makes me wonder how much he really wants to win.

Among Hebert’s contributors were State Senators Verdell Jackson, Art Wittich, Jana Taylor, and Dee Brown (listed as “retired”). Among Olszewski’s contributors were former Flathead County Attorney Tom Esch, and quite a few medical doctors. Not among Olszewski’s contributors, former GOP gubernatorial candidate Jim Lynch.

House District 5, Adams v Myers

Democrat Ed Lieser is the incumbent. Most informed political observers expect liberal leaning Whitefish to return Lieser to the legislature. That probably explains why neither Doug Adams nor John Myers has raised or spent much money. Both men raised approximately $1,250 from others, but Adams donated $1,000 of his own money to his campaign while Myers donated just $50 to himself.

Flathead county commissioner, Mitchell v Scott

Only Phil Mitchell’s C-5 campaign finance report was available when I wrote this post. Mitchell raised approximately $30,000, with $2,825 coming out of his own pocket. Among those contributing to Mitchell were “retired” Ryan Zinke, “campground owner” State Sen. Dee Brown, and “farmer” State Sen. Bruce Tutvedt. When Cal Scott’s numbers become available, I’ll add them to this page.

Update, 28 May. Cal Scott’s C-5, finally online (his filing was timely, MCOPP was slow), reveals the campaign finances of a man whose political career is almost over. He’s raised just $1,470. Two donors gave him a total of $270. He loaned himself $1,200, and gave himself $1,500 in in-kind contributions. The accounting on this can be tricky, and the C-5 can make it trickier; if the in-kind contributions are added to the $1,470, he raised $2,970. Looking at it another way, he raised either five or ten percent as much as Phil Mitchell.

Both wings of the Flathead Republican Party have rallied behind Mitchell, who is by far the more conservative and pro-development man. Scott turned out to be a sensible commissioner, especially on issues affecting senior citizens, and possibly a moderating influence on Gary Krueger and Pam Holmquist. I would not expect the same from Mitchell.

Democrats thinking of crossing over to vote for Scott in the primary should be aware that the gesture will be futile. Unless they live in HD-7 and/or SD-4, Democrats should stay home to ensure that John Lewis defeats mischief maker John Driscoll.