Most spending in HD 22 is candidates’ own cash
By Kevin Huelsmann, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
November 2, 2012
Bill Winney has made up some ground, but Marti Halverson still has far outpaced him in fundraising in the race for House District 22.
The latest campaign finance reports filed with the Secretary of State show that Halverson had raised nearly $14,000. Winney raised $10,630.
Halverson, a Republican from Etna, is running against Winney, an independent candidate from Bondurant. The district includes southern Teton County and parts of Lincoln and Sublette counties.
The amount reported by Halverson doesn’t include the $23,800 she spent in the run-up to the primary, when she thought she was running against in-cumbent Rep. Jim Roscoe, D-Wilson.
Halverson pumped $30,000 of her own money into the campaign to pay for a slew of advertising and marketing materials. Since the primary election in August, Halverson has raised only $2,225 in individual contributions — she totaled $3,775, including in-kind contributions and donations from political action committees.
Halverson’s biggest donor during the past few months was Jackson resident John Held, who contributed $1,000. She also has received donations from U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., former State Auditor Rita Meyer, and Bruce Brown, an accountant from Devil’s Tower who was in the running for state treasurer.
Halverson also received $750 from the Lincoln County Republican Party’s central committee. She also has taken in a total of $600 from political action committees representing the trucking industry, stock growers and AT&T.
Winney’s campaign largely has been self-funded. He put in $10,000 of his own money.
He has only raised $630 in individual contributions — two from Etna residents, and one each from residents in Wilson, Jackson and Alpine.
He hasn’t received any money from PACs or political parties.