Local donors shy on congressional special election fundraising

Campaign finance reports released Monday show that while money is pouring into the special election for Montana's lone congressional seat, little of it is coming from donors in this part of Montana.

The reports say Gianforte outraised Quist in Blaine, Hill and Liberty counties as well as the northern Chouteau County in the Big Sandy area, receiving $9,600 from area residents to Quist's $7,503.

Reports filed with the Federal Election Commission say between Jan. 22 and May 5, the campaign of Republican Greg Gianforte took in a total of $3,406,980, while Democrat Rob Quist brought in $3,263,535 in that same time period.

The FEC website says Libertarian candidate Mark Wicks, an Inverness rancher, did not report any fundraising activity.

Gianforte, a millionaire and retired businessman who unsuccessfully sought to unseat Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock, has also lent his campaign $1 million.  

Less than two weeks before the election, reports on the FEC website say Quist, a founding member of the Mission Mountain Wood Band who has not previously run for public office, had $668,995 left on hand, while Gianforte had $826,128.

Local donors to Gianforte include Havre ranchers William and Barbara Cowan who each donated $2,700. William Solem,a retiree from Chinook, contributed $2,700, while Mariland Thompson, a Harlem retiree gave $250. The report says Stuart Reynolds of Havre gave Gianforte two $100 donations.

Leading area Republicans have also given to Gianforte. Businessman and former Hill County Republican Central Committee Chair Brad Lotton of Havre gave $500, while Blaine County Republican Party Chair and insurance agent Don Richman of Harlem donated $300.

Unlike Gianforte who mostly received larger, one-time donations from this area, Quist received smaller amounts from donors who gave repeatedly, reports say. He also had more individual contributors in this region of Montana.

Quists's largest donor, Blaine County Museum Director Jude Sheppard, gave the campaign 10 contributions that totaled $1,860. Havre therapist Renee Ratliff gave three $50 donations and one donation of $500. Daisy Sherman of Havre made four contributions totaling $95.

Susan Sommers, a Hill County Health Department employee, gave three payments totaling $140. Hill County Democratic Party Chair Brenda Skornogoski made two contributions totaling $350, while Larry Strizich, dean of Montana State University-Northern's College of Technical Sciences, made two $35 contributions.

Another repeat donor, farmer and rancher Tom Bangs of Rudyard, made one donation of $250 and a second donation of $35 to Quist.

Other Quist donors included Jeffrey Bangs, a farmer and rancher of Inverness who gave $250; businesswoman Renelle Bratten of Havre $1,000; Great Northern Fairgrounds Manager Dave Brewer, $100; property owner Barb Jergeson of Chinook, wife of former Democratic state Sen. and Public Service Commission Chair Greg Jergeson gave $100; and Lynn Hamilton of Havre, $200.

Former state Democratic Rep. John Musgrove of Havre, also a former chair of the Hill County Democratic Central Committee, contributed $500; Margaret Novak of Novak & Novak Inc. donated $1,000; Bear Paw Development Corp.Executive Director Paul Tuss donated $100, and $500 came from Sharla Tester of Big Sandy, wife of Democratic U.S Sen. Jon Tester..  

Retiree Peggy Safely of Havre donated $250 to Quist. Dave Martens Sr. of Havre donate $53 to Quist in two payments, one of $50 and one of $3.

FEC reports show the Hill County Democratic Central Committee gave Quist $500. No other local Democratic central committees were listed as donors.

FEC records did not show the Hill or Blaine County Reupublican central committees making any donations, although the Chouteau County Republican Central Committee donated $500 to Gianforte.