Tuss outraises opponents' combined total

Editor's note: Finance reports on other local raises will be listed in stories printed later this week

Democrat Paul Tuss has so far outraised both his potential Republican opponents, state Sen. Russ Temple, R-Chester, and Brad Lotton, in the race for Senate District 14

The information is from the Montana Commmissioner of Political Practices' website from reports through May 1.

In the race for Senate District 14, which extends from Liberty County and western Hill County, including Havre down through Chouteau County into Cascade County just outside Great Falls, Tuss raised $25,125. He spent $978.39 and ended the period with $24,236.61 in cash on-hand, the website reports.

Tempel and Lotton, who are competing in the June 5 Republican primary for the chance to take on Tuss in November, raised $8,361 and $7,380 respectively, their campaign reports say.

Tempel has spent $6,447.68 and has $1,913.32 and Lotton spent $5,526.01 and has $1,853.99 left on-hand with an additional $170 on-hand in a separate account designated for the general election.

Hill County Republican Central Committee Chair Andrew Brekke said at a meeting of the Pachyderm Club Friday that Tuss has received more than 60 percent of his campaign contributions from outside the district.

In an email Tuesday, Tuss said that more than 87 percent of donations he has received come from people in Montana including family and friends, as well as from colleagues from his work in economic development and higher education and volunteer activities.

"These are people who know my commitment to this state and have encouraged me to take this exciting step of representing northern Montana in the Legislature," Tuss said in the email.

The report from Tuss's campaign says his donors include $50 from state Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, D-Havre; $180 from former Hill County Commissioner Kathleen Bessette; $50 from former Montana Commissioner of Labor and Industry Pam Bucy of Helena; $150 from MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver of Helena; $150 from Independence Bank President Miles Hamilton of Havre, and $180 from Democratic U.S. House primary candidate John Heenan of Billings.

The report says other Tuss contributions include three donations of $25 from Jennifer Hesley, a government relations professional from Pacificsource Health Plans; $170 from former senator and Montana Public Service Commission Chair Greg Jergeson of Chinook; $180 from Jim Messina, a former deputy White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama; $180 from Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, and $180 from Sharla Tester, wife of U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.

Some of Lotton's donors include $180 each from Abundant Life Ministries pastors Brian and Vicky Barrows; $180 from Brekke; $40 from candidate for clerk of the Montana Supreme Court Bowen Greenwood; $180 from former state Sen. Kris Hansen, R-Havre; $180 from Big Equipment owner Ron Harmon; $170 from Helena resident and former state Rep. Stephanie Hess, R-Havre; and $180 from Blaine County Republican Central Committee Chair Don Richman of Harlem.

Others who have donated to Lotton include $170 from Havre School Trustee Ed Hill; $180 from former state Rep. Roy Hollandsworth, R-Brady; $25 from Havre City Council member Ed Matter; $100 from former Montana Republican Party Chair Ken Miller; $50 from Great Northern Fair Board Chair Tyler Smith; $180 from former state Rep. Wendy Warburton, R-Havre, who now lives in Chinook, and $180 from former Havre City Council candidate Dr. Marc Whitacre.

The report from Tempel's campaign says their donors include:$170 from Northern Ag Network owner and former state Sen. Taylor Brown, R-Sand Springs; $100 from state Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls; $100 from Liberty County Commissioner Larry Hendrickson; and $180 from state Sen. Lew Jones, R-Conrad.

Tempel also received $80 from the Health Care Service Corp. Employees Political Action Committee; $180 from MT Med PAC, and $180 from Montana Dental PAC.