State superintendent-elect Sherri Ybarra was elected despite meager fundraising throughout the year — and almost nonexistent fundraising in the runup to the Nov. 4 election.
Ybarra, a Mountain Home Republican, raised only $2,329.15 from Oct. 20 through Nov. 14, according to campaign finance reports filed Thursday. Nearly half of this sum came in a single contribution: a $1,000 contribution from K12, an online curriculum vendor based in Herndon, Va.
Idaho Falls Democrat Jana Jones raised $14,274 in the campaign stretch run. All told, Jones outraised Ybarra by nearly a 5-to-1 margin.
Thursday was the deadline for statewide candidates to file their post-election campaign finance reports. The latest reports were consistent with previous filings: Democratic candidates enjoyed financial edges in the races for superintendent of public instruction, governor and secretary of state.
However, Republicans won all three of these races en route to a sweep of the statewide ticket. Democrats have not won a statewide election since 2002.
Here are thumbnails from the sunshine reports.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oct. 20-Nov. 14: Raised $2,329.15, spent $5,095.96.
Total for year: Raised $38,781.98, spent $36,976.87.
Highlights from latest report: K12 Management Inc., Herndon. Va., $1,000; Senate Majority Leader Bart Davis, R-Idaho Falls, $400.
Oct. 20-Nov.14: Raised $14,274, spent $51,279.62
Total for year: Raised $153,884.74, spent $153,070.36
Highlights from latest report: Hagadone Hospitality, Coeur d’Alene, $500; Monte Woolstenhulme, Teton School District superintendent, $50.
Governor
Butch Otter, Republican
Oct. 20-Nov. 14: Raised $193,630.40, spent $287,329.26
Total for year: Raised $1,485,898.80, spent $2,129,944.33
Highlights from report: K12, $2,000; Rod Lewis, State Board of Education member, $2,500; House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, $1,000; Mark Durcan, CEO, Micron Technology, $1,500.
A.J. Balukoff, Democrat
Oct. 20-Nov. 14: Raised $878,899.90, spent $882,709.41.
Total for year: Raised $4,039,690.63, spent $4,074,080.75
Highlights from latest report: In a campaign that was almost exclusively self-financed, Balukoff made $842,000 in donations in the final days of the race.
John Bujak, Libertarian
Oct. 20-Nov.14: Raised $2,351.82, spent $17,432.06
Total for year: Raised and spent $31,989.12.
Highlight from latest report: Bujak forgave a $1,636.62 loan to his campaign.
Secretary of State
Lawerence Denney, Republican
Oct. 20, Nov. 14: Raised $20,049.85, spent $70,158.93.
Total for year: Raised $307,533.55, spent $318,760.01.
Highlights from latest report: Former state Rep. Phil Hart, R-Hayden; $250; Patricia Kempthorne, wife of former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, $250.
Holli Woodings, Democrat
Oct. 20-Nov. 14: Raised $24,614.64, spent $54,769.56
Total for year: Raised $412,767.27, spent $408,344.36
Highlight from latest report: Keith and Christine Allred, $500. Keith Allred was the Democrats’ gubernatorial candidate in 2010.
