Fillios, Malek take financial leads in election campaigns

COEUR d'ALENE — Chris Fillios is outpacing other Kootenai County commissioner candidates with financial contributions heading into Tuesday's primary election.

The first round of financial reports from county and state candidates were due on Tuesday night.

KOOTENAI COUNTY CANDIDATES

Fillios, who is challenging fellow Republican David Stewart for the District 2 seat, reported $12,662 in contributions and $7,484.30 in expenditures.

Top contributors included: Michael and Pamela Henkoski, Mark Hinders and the Henkoski Family Trust, $500 each; Beverly and Norbert Twillmann, $375 each; and Don Gary, $250. Fillios has also taken out $7,750 in loans.

Stewart reported $5,885.50 in contributions and $5,483.99 in expenditures.

Stewart's contributors included: himself and J.D. Resort Inc., $1,000 each; and Empire Airlines, Coeur d'Alene Lake Property Owners and Taxpayers Protective Association, Kerr Oil, Delbert and Betty Kerr and Cannon Hill Industries, $500 each.

Among District 3 Republican commissioner candidates, Leslie Duncan reported the most contributions with $5,700. She has spent $4,489.96.

Her top contributors were Michael Henkoski, $1,000, and Pamela Henkoski, $500. She also took out a $2,000 loan.

Bob Bingham reported $3,581.93 in contributions and $1,659.58 in expenditures. His contributors included Tucker Worldwide's $500 and Bob and Norma Watte's $500. He also took out a loan for $1,173.45.

Fred Meckel reported $250 in contributions (all from the North Idaho Building Contractors Association), $1,212.83 in expenditures and a $250 loan.

Duane Rasmussen reported $1,417 in contributions and $1,300.30 in expenditures. His top contributor was Kerr Oil Co. at $250.

District 3 candidates are seeking the seat of Dan Green, who is not seeking re-election.

In the race for Kootenai County sheriff, challenger John Green reported $7,337 in contributions and $6,779.78 in expenditures. Floyd and Mary Drennan gave $500 along with Lois Hanson. Idaho House District 2 Position B seat incumbent and Republican Eric Redman chipped in $200.

Incumbent Ben Wolfinger wasn't far behind with $6,849 in reported contributions and $4,3328 in expenditures. Dr. Brett Dirks and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe each gave $1,000, while the Republican North Idaho Political Action Committee, Empire Airways and John Grimm each contributed $500. Dan Green and Steven Roberge each chipped in $100.

Democrat Tina Kunishige, who will face the Wolfinger-John Green winner in November's general election, reported $2,915 in contributions, $2,776.78 in expenditures and $4,500 in loans.

STATE LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES

Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens and the District 2 Position A incumbent, reported $5,310 in contributions and $715 expenditures. His top contributors with $1,000 each were Scott Bedke and the UHFG Insurance PAC.

Republican challenger Fritz Wiedenhoff reported $2,300.01 in contributions and $1,349.61 in expenditures.

He contributed $1,100 to his own campaign, while the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and the North Idaho Builders PAC contributed $500 each.

Democrat Kathy Kahn, who will face the Barbieri-Widenhoff winner in November, reported $3,070.15 in contributions. A.J. and Susie Balukoff gave $500.

In the race for the District 2, Position B House seat, Redman, the Republican incumbent, reported $10,550 in contributions and $2,700 in expenditures. Giving $1,000 each were: PhRMA of Washington, D.C., Winning for Idaho of Boise, Lois Hanson and the Committee to re-elect Fred Wood.

Challenger Alan Littlejohn reported $2,370.77 in contributions and $2,029.47 in expenditures. Mary and Lloyd Drennan contributed $500 along with Cody Littlejohn.

Democrat Richard Kohles reported no contributions, while Democrat Cooper Coyle's report had not been posted as of The Press deadline.

Don Cheatham, the District 3 Position B incumbent in the House, is being outpaced by Republican challenger Peter Riggs.

Riggs reported $15,285.99 in contributions and $8,837.58 in expenditures. Top contributors at $1,000 each were the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, CenturyLink and Jack Riggs. The challenger also took out $5,235.99 in loans.

Cheatham reported $8,185.31 in contributions and $10,035.36 in expenditures. Winning for Idaho and AGRA-PAC of Pocatello each contributed $1,000.

Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d'Alene, has a large financial lead on Republican challenger Art Macomber in the race for his District 4 Position A seat.

Malek reported $31,200.23 in contributions and $33,151.84 in expenditures. His top contributor was Idaho Power at $1,500.

Macomber reported $6,191.84 in contributions and $2,227.41 in expenditures. Winning for Idaho was his top contributor at $1,000.

On the Democrat side, Turns to the East reported no contributions while Patrick Mitchell's report had not been posted by The Press deadline.

Republican Paul Amador, who is challenging Rep. Kathy Sims, R-Coeur d'Alene, for the District 4 Position B seat, is leading financially.

Amador reported $18,155.10 in contribution sand $13,558.58 in expenditures. Contributors of $1,000 included Todd Brinkmeyer, Shelly Smith, Michael L. Amador, Michael R. Amador and Ann Amador. The candidate also contributed $3,358.32 toward his own campaign.

Sims reported $5,390 in contributions and $4,083.22 in expenditures. Contributions of $500 were from Winning for Idaho, Idaho Farm Bureau-AGRA PAC, IBWDA-PAC and Idaho Committee on Hospitality and Sports.

Democrat Tom Hearn, who will face the Amador-Sims winner in November, reported $6,283.88 in contributions and $4,662.69 in expenditures. A.J. Balukoff contributed $500 to his campaign.

In the District 4 Senate race, Republican Mary Souza, the incumbent, reported $650 in contributions and $218 in expenditures. She will be challenged in November by Democrat Kristi Milan. Milan reported $3,638.75 in contributions and $2,475.23 in expenditures.

Early in-person voting for Tuesday's election continues at the County Elections Office, 1808 N. Third St., Coeur d'Alene, through 5 p.m. on Friday.

Polls on election day will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Today is the last day to request an absentee ballot.

For election questions, call 446-1030 or e-mail kcelections@kcgov.us.