Fundraising in trustee elections: A final look

We now have some final fundraising numbers from the Nov. 7 school board elections.

Candidates and campaign treasurers are turning in their November sunshine reports, covering the last-minute runup to Election Day, and fundraising and spending through Nov. 30.

A couple of quick facts:

  • The spendiest race unfolded in Coeur d’Alene’s Zone 2. James McAndrew spent $28,071 to win the open race. Yasmin Harris spent $14,962. Paul Mahlow spent $602, but contributed his entire war chest to state Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard.
  • West Ada challenger Tom Moore reported the largest campaign war chest, approaching $51,000. But that money came almost entirely from a loan Moore made to his campaign. Moore actually reported spending $11,616. Incumbent René Ozuna reported spending $5,956 on her successful re-election run.

Here’s a look at every race that cleared the $5,000 fundraising plateau. (Victorious candidates are listed in red.):

West Ada, Zone 5: $61,520

Tom Moore: $50,809. Includes $50,067 in loans from the candidate.

René Ozuna (incumbent): $10,711. Includes $1,000 from Meridian Mayor Robert Simison and $1,000 from Engineered Structures Inc., a builder with ties to the West Ada School District.

West Ada, Zone 4: $17,777

Miguel Deluna: $8,037. Includes $1,000 from Moore, and $20 from former legislator Marv Hagedorn.

David Binetti (incumbent): $7,761. Largely self-funded.

Mari Gates: $1,979.

Kuna, Zone 1: $22,264

Hillary Lowe: $14,409. Includes $1,000 apiece from Tyler and Constance Youngkin, San Ysidro, Calif., and Quincy Youngkin, Kuna, $1,000 from W. Scott Schirmer, Phoenix, and $1,000 from William Brownlee, Peoria, Ariz.

Joy Thomas (incumbent): $7,855. Raised largely from Democratic donors, including former gubernatorial candidate and Boise school trustee A J Balukoff ($1,000), Susie Balukoff ($1,000) and House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise ($1,000).

Kuna, Zone 2: $18,454

Kristi Hardy: $16,954. Includes $1,000 apiece from Tyler, Constance and Quincy Youngkin, Schirmer and Brownlee.

James Grant: $1,500. Entirely self-funded.

Kuna, Zone 5: $13,352

Michael Thornton: $12,859. Includes $1,000 apiece from Tyler and Constance Youngkin and $995 from Hardy.

Russell Johnson: $493. Self-funded.

Blaine County, Zone 5: $31,690

Lara Stone (incumbent): $19,880. Includes $200 from former House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, and Jim Jaquet and $200 from retiring School Board chair R. Keith Roark. Also includes $1,100 loan to campaign.

Bailey Brooks: $11,810. Includes $1,000 from Push Back Idaho and $20 from fellow Blaine County trustee candidate Nora Roebuck.

West Bonner, Zone 1: $18,840

Margaret Hall (incumbent): $12,382.

Alan Galloway: $6,458.

West Bonner, Zone 5: $9,181

Carlyn Barton (incumbent): $4,931.

Kathy Nash: $4,250. Includes $699.64 from recently recalled trustee Keith Rutledge and $85 from state Rep. Heather Scott.

West Bonner, Zone 3: $6,116

Troy Reinbold (incumbent): $3,558. Includes $699.65 from Rutledge and $85.10 from a second recently recalled trustee, Susan Brown.

Elizabeth Glazier: $2,558.

Lake Pend Oreille, Zone 1: $10,044

Scott Wood: $5,600. Entirely in a loan from the candidate.

Jennifer McKnight: $4,444.

Rebecca Holland: No fundraising activity.

Idaho Falls, Zone 1: $5,200

Jeremy Westwood (incumbent): $3,000. Entirely self-funded.

Jordan Oseen: $2,200. Entirely self-funded.

Patrick Jackson: No fundraising activity.

Nampa, Zone 2: $6,196

Adam Schasel: $5,422. Includes $100 from Reclaim Idaho co-founder Luke Mayville.

David Jennings: $774. Includes $491.74 from Nampa trustee Brook Taylor.

Caldwell, Zone 3: $13,473

Travis Manning (incumbent): $10,861. Includes $1,000 from A J Balukoff, $1,000 from Conservation Voters of Idaho, $333.34 from Caldwell school trustee Marisela Pesina, $100 from former Boise school superintendent Don Coberly, $100 from state Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, $100 from state Rep. Soñia Galaviz, D-Boise, and $100 from former state Rep. John McCrostie, D-Garden City.

Nicole Trakel: $2,612. Includes $200 from state Sen. Cindy Carlson, R-Riggins, and $50 from Kent Marmon, a Republican legislative candidate in Caldwell.

Coeur d’Alene, Zone 2: $45,601

James McAndrew: $28,290. Includes $500 from retiring Coeur d’Alene school trustee Casey Morrisroe, $200 from former Lt. Gov. Jack Riggs, $100 from former Coeur d’Alene Mayor Sandra Bloem and $50 from former North Idaho College trustee and state Sen. John Goedde, R-Coeur d’Alene.

Yasmin Harris: $16,709. Includes $300 from Brent Regan, chairman, Kootenai County Republican Central Committee; and $500 from RHINO PAC.

Paul Mahlow: $602. Entirely self-funded. Mahlow later donated his $602 to state Rep. Heather Scott. 

Coeur d’Alene, Zone 3: $19,777

Heather Tenbrink (incumbent): $11,797. Includes $500 from Morrisroe and some self-funding.

Richard Blatt: $7,980. Includes $300 from Regan and $500 from RHINO PAC.

Lakeland, Zone 2: $7,861

Ramona Grissom (incumbent): $5,211.

Cherish Hansen: $2,650.

Lakeland, Zone 3: $6,411

Michelle Thompson (incumbent): $3,513. Includes $100 from Regan and $99 from Grissom.

Sheila Holfeltz: $2,898.

Moscow, Zone 3: $6,490

Dulce Kersting-Lark (incumbent): $3,480. Includes $100 from Latah County Commissioner Tom Lamar.

Gay Lynn Clyde: $3,010.

Moscow, Zone 1: $5,609

Cody Barr: $4,347.

Jim Frenzel (incumbent): $1,262. Includes $100 from Lamar.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 35 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. He can be reached at [email protected]

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