In the first week after announcing her candidacy for state schools superintendent, Debbie Critchfield raised at least $22,500 for her campaign.
Candidates don’t have to report their contributions in real time, but they must report contributions of at least $1,000 within 48 hours.
The $22,500 in contributions fall under that 48-hour requirement.
The early donor list includes two familiar names: House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, who contributed $1,000; and Bill Gilbert, who along with Critchfield co-chaired Gov. Brad Little’s 2019 K-12 task force. Gilbert contributed $2,500 to the Critchfield campaign.
Critchfield, a State Board of Education member from Oakley, is one of two announced Republican candidates for state superintendent.
Branden Durst of Garden City — a former Democratic legislator now running as a Republican — reported one large recent donation. He received $1,000 from Idaho Falls attorney Bryan Smith, vice chairman of the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s board of directors.
GOP incumbent Sherri Ybarra has not announced whether she will seek a third term. And according to state campaign finance reports, she has received no large donations in 2021. She raised $380 in 2020 and spent $284.10, and entered 2021 with $187.28 in her campaign war chest.
