Candidate filings on campaign finance released

Campaign finance reports filed by candidates running for office in Montana show incumbent Republicans with a financial edge over primary challengers or Democrats looking to unseat them in November's general election.

Montana law dictates that campaigns and political action committees or PACs that accept, spend or donate $500 or more, must file a report with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices 35 days before and 12 days following an election.

Individuals and PACs can give no more than $170 to a candidate in a state legislative race per election.

The reports detail how much money a political campaign or committee raised, spent or donated. They reveal how much money a campaign has left and the names of the individuals or groups that have given money to a campaign.

Senate District 17

State Rep. Mike Lang, R-Malta, who is running for the state Senate, brought in more than any of the 16 other candidates running in the five state legislative races along the Hi-Line.

Documents show between September and April 29, Lang took in $6,074 in his primary race against former state Rep. Wayne Stahl, R-Saco.

Lang has $5,523.87 left.

Lang and Sacco are competing to replace incumbent John Brenden, R-Scobey, who is unable to seek re-election to his Senate 17 District, due to term limits. The district includes large swaths of northern Hill, Blaine, Phillips, Valley and Roosevelt counties and areas to the east.

The Democrat in the race, Douglas Adolphson of Glasgow, did not have a campaign finance report posted on the commissioner's website.

House District 33

Two political newcomers, Republicans Casey Knudsen, a rancher from Malta, and Michael Burns of Glasgow, are hoping to succeed Lang in the House.

Knudsen's report shows that between August and May, he received $1,660 in contributions, including $200 of his own money. He also received a voter list valued at $11.54 from the Montana Republican Legislative Committee, a PAC dedicated to electing Republicans to the Montana Legislature.

Burns does not have a report on the COPP website.

The winner of the contest will go on to face Mike Finley, a retired BNSF clerk from North Havre, in the general election,

Finley's report shows his campaign has not raised or spent any money.

House District 28

In House District 28, retired Montana State University-Northern professor Will Rawn and Havre High School senior and Hill County Democratic Party vice chair Jacob Bachmeier are locked in a primary battle.

Rawn raised $3,095 between early March and late April when he announced his bid. Documents show many of his donors have come from Northern, where Rawn was a professor and dean, as well as the Havre Public School system and many of those active in the Hill County Democratic Party.

Former Hill County Commissioner Kathy Bessette of Havre, who is Rawn's campaign treasurer, former Democratic candidate for State Rep. Karen Sloan, and Joe Skorogoski, the husband of Hill County Democratic Party Chair Brenda Skornogoski, are among those who have contributed to Rawn's primary campaign.

Bachmeier took in $2,265 between launching his campaign in November and the reporting deadline, and now has $968.76 left, according to campaign finance documents.

Like Rawn, most of Bachmeier's contributions come from those in the education and social services field in the Havre area. High profile Hill County Democrats, including former state Sen. Greg Jergeson, D-Chinook, Havre school board member Curtis Smeby and former Havre City Council member Pam Hillery are among Bachmeier's donors.

But first-term state Rep.Stephanie Hess, R-Havre, has more money remaining in her campaign war chest than either of her potential Democratic opponents. Of the $2,890 she raised since December, she has $2,7533 left.

Among those donating to Hess are Hill County Republican Chair and Havre City Council President Andrew Brekke, state Sen. Kris Hansen, R-Havre, Bowen Greenwood, spokesperson with the Montana Family Foundation and Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte, all of whom gave the $170 maximum amount to the campaign.

Brad Lotton, a contractor in Havre and frequent donor to Republican campaigns, also has donated to Hess.

Senate District 16

State Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, is ineligible to run for re-election due to term limits.

After his surprise win in 2014, first-term state Rep. Bruce Meyers, R-Box Elder is hoping to advance to the Senate.

Meyers is unchallenged in the primary.

Between January, when he filed to run for the Senate District 16 seat, and the deadline for filing his report, Meyers raised $2,320, of which $1,934.32 is in the bank.

Contributors to his campaign include $170 from the Insurance and Financial Advisors PAC, based out of Bozeman. Other backers include many of the same frequent donors, such as Brekke, Hansen, Lotton and others.

Meyers is far ahead of his Democratic competitors who are locked in a three-way primary.

Former State Sen. Frank Smith, D-Poplar, trails behind Meyers in fundraising but leads his two Democratic primary opponents in terms of campaign money.

Documents show Smith has raised $770, with $732 left.

The Smith campaign received $170 from NorthWestern Energy Montana Employee Political Action Committee, and $100 from Roger Wagner, a Nashua farmer. Smith donated $500 to his own campaign.

Smith's two opponents, LeAnn Montes, attorney general for Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation, and Bobbi Jo Favel, both of Box Elder, trail far behind in fundraising.

Favel has taken in $150, including $100 she gave to her own campaign. Records show that the remaining $50 came from one donor, Danna Jackson, an employee with the U.S. Attorney's office in Helena.

Records show she has not spent any money on her campaign.

Montes, has been self-funded with $40 of her own money.

House District 32

State Sen. Windy Boy is running unopposed in both the Democratic primary and general election for the House.

Campaign documents show he has not raised or spent any money.

House District 27

State Rep. Roy Hollandsworth, R-Brady, is termed out and two candidates within the party are vying to succeed him.

Aviator and farmer Darrold Hutchinson of Hingham attempted to oust Hollandsworth through a primary challenge in 2014. Now he is running again.

This time he is going up against former Republican Chouteau County Commissioner Jim O'Hara.

Between January, when Hutchinson filed, and when he submitted his report April 28, Hutchinson raised $3,840, with $1,418 left.

Documents show Hutchinson took out a loan of $500 for his campaign and received a $170 from Mode PAC out of Helena.

Elsewhere, Hutchinson received donations of $170 from Brekke, Lotton and state Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls.

O'Hara received $1,140 during the first four months of 2016. This included a $500 loan he took out in January, campaign finance reports show.

Other donations include $170 from the NorthWestern Energy Political Action Committee and $100 from the Montana Farm Bureau PAC.

Ryan Rominger, a Democrat from Floweree, will go up against the winner of the primary. Documents said he has accumulated $790 in donations since declaring his candidacy in March. He gave his own campaign $128.47.

Rominger had $524.79 left when he filed the report.