Following the dollars: After the election, candidate fundraising comes into focus

(UPDATED, 11:54 a.m., with new information on Idaho Falls trustee Jeremy Westwood’s fundraising.)

It’s a little too late for voters, but we have a lot more information about fundraising in the Nov. 7 school board elections.

Candidates and campaign treasurers didn’t have to turn in October sunshine reports before Election Day. Those reports are rolling in now, bringing fundraising into closer focus.

The reports cover fundraising and spending through Oct. 31. The November reports won’t come due for another month.

A couple of quick facts:

  • Unsuccessful West Ada candidate Tom Moore put the most money into his war chest: $50,809, made up almost entirely of personal loans to his campaign. Through Oct. 31, Moore spent $9,572.
  • The biggest spender, so far, appears to be James McAndrew, the winner in an open trustee’s race in Coeur d’Alene. Through Oct. 31, McAndrew spent $23,839.
  • Here’s a look at every race that cleared the $5,000 fundraising plateau. (Victorious candidates are listed in red.):

West Ada, Zone 5: $61,420

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

Rene Ozuna (incumbent): $10,611. 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: $17,163

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

Miguel Deluna: $7,423. Includes $1,000 from Moore.

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: $18,304

Kristi Hardy: $16,804. Includes $1,000 apiece from Tyler, Constance and Quincy Youngkin, Schirmer and Brownlee.

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

Kuna, Zone 5: $7,746

Michael Thornton: $7,345. Includes $1,000 apiece from Tyler and Constance Youngkin and $995 from Hardy.

Russell Johnson: $401. Self-funded.

Blaine County, Zone 5: $28,120

Lara Stone (incumbent): $18,780. Includes $200 from former House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, and Jim Jaquet and $200 from retiring School Board chair R. Keith Roark.

Bailey Brooks: $9,340. Includes $1,000 from Push Back Idaho and $20 from fellow Blaine County trustee candidate Nora Roebuck.

West Bonner, Zone 1: $18,332

Margaret Hall (incumbent): $11,807.

Alan Galloway: $6,525.

West Bonner, Zone 5: $8,864

Carlyn Barton (incumbent): $4,714.

Kathy Nash: $4,150. Includes $699.64 from recently recalled trustee Keith Rutledge and $85 from state Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard.

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: $9,844

Scott Wood: $5,500. Entirely in a loan from the candidate.

Jennifer McKnight: $4,344.

Rebecca Holland: No fundraising activity.

Idaho Falls, Zone 1: $5,200

Jeremy Westwood (incumbent): $3,000. His latest report lists only one donation, of $3,000, but does not identify a source. On Wednesday, the secretary of state’s office said the money came from Westwood himself, which would make it a legal campaign contribution.

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: $13,391

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: $2,530. 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: $44,449

James McAndrew: $27,963. 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: $15,884. Includes $100 from Brent Regan, chairman, Kootenai County Republican Central Committee.

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

Coeur d’Alene, Zone 3: $7,305

Heather Tenbrink (incumbent): $11,297. Includes $500 from Morrisroe and some self-funding.

Richard Blatt: $6,820. 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: $5,793

Michelle Thompson (incumbent): $3.493. Includes $100 from Regan and $99 from Grissom.

Sheila Holfeltz: $2,300.

Moscow, Zone 1: $5,609

Cody Barr: $4,347.

Jim Frenzel (incumbent): $1,262. Includes $100 from Latah County Commissioner Tom 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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