Several Democrats raking in the cash

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — Democrats lead the way in year-to-date campaign contributions among Kootenai County and area state legislative candidates in the Nov. 6 general election.

Ruben Miranda, who is seeking the District 3 Kootenai County Commission seat held by Bob Bingham, reported $23,027 in total contributions and $16,825 in expenditures through Sept. 30.

"I invested more than $10,000 of my own money at the beginning, so that's a big chunk of it, but people seem to like what I say," he said. "I've gotten a steady flow of contributions.

"Campaigns cost money, and it's nice when supporters step to the plate."

Miranda said it appears he has received a broad range of support across the political spectrum.

"Commissioners' seats, in all practicality, are non-partisan," he said. "They don't deal with ideological, partisan issues. They deal with issues that are practical and directed at the local community."

Miranda's largest recent contributions have been from the Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee and Suzanne Marshall/Michael Marvinny at $1,000 each.

Miranda's opponent, Leslie Duncan, who ousted Bingham in the May primary for the Republican nomination, reported $15,579 in contributions and $13,686 in expenditures.

Duncan's top recent supporters have included: Brent Regan, $1,000; Rhino Hunters, $500; Lorna Finman, $500; and the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee, $500.

"I appreciate each financial contribution and know people are giving what they can," Duncan said in a written statement. "The campaign finance report does not show the whole picture of how many people are working hard supporting me in many other ways. I feel like most of the community is behind me with how much I am contacted on a daily basis."

At the state legislative level, Democrat Rebecca Schroeder, seeking the House District 4, Position A seat held by Luke Malek, reported $54,046 in total contributions and $43,177 in expenditures.

Schroeder has received multiple $1,000 contributions, including from Steven Carmichael, Kootenai County Democrats, Coralyn Alexander, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Idaho Democratic Central Committee and Idaho Democratic Campaign Committee.

Jim Addis, her Republican opponent, reported $29,272 in total contributions and $22,917 in expenditures.

Malek lost his bid for Congress during the May primary as Russ Fulcher won the Republican nomination for Raul Labrador's seat.

Addis's $1,000 contributions have come from Idaho Association of Realtors, Corwin Ford, Idaho Committee on Hospitality and Sports, and Idaho Automobile Dealers Association.

Here's a look at the other county and state legislative races:

KOOTENAI COUNTY

In the race for clerk, challenger Dan Gookin, who is running unaffiliated, reported $14,709 in total contributions and $12,056 in expenditures. He has received $500 contributions from Terri Dickerson, Dave Botting and the Coeur d'Alene Firefighters Political Action Committee. Gookin took out a $10,000 loan.

Jim Brannon, the Republican incumbent, reported $3,225 in total contributions and $1,858 in expenditures. Contributions of $500 came from Regan and Finman. Brannon also reported a $2,053 loan.

Bill Brooks, who defeated incumbent Marc Eberlein in the May primary for the District 1 seat on the commission, reported $19,050 in total contributions and $16,166 in expenditures. Brooks reported a total of $16,000 in loans.

Brooks does not have an opponent in November.

STATE LEGISLATURE

In the other District 4 races, Republican incumbent Mary Souza reported $30,590 in contributions and $16,394 in expenditures in her campaign to retain her Senate seat.

She has received $1,000 contributions from the Idaho Credit Union Legislative Action Committee, Brent Hill, and the Senate Republican Political Action Committee.

Her challenger, Democrat Cory English, reported $21,752 in contributions and $19,391 in expenditures.

English reported $12,471 in contributions in the past four months, while Souza had $8,850.

English's $1,000 contributions have been from the Idaho Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, Idaho State Democratic Party and Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee.

In the House District 4-B race, Republican incumbent Paul Amador reported $40,242 in contributions and $29,411 in expenditures. Michael Amador has contributed $2,000, while Idaho Forest Group has given $1,000.

Amador's challenger, Democrat Shem Hanks, reported $16,501 in contributions and $10,499 in expenditures. Hanks received a $1,000 contribution from the Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee.

In the District 3 Senate race featuring Post Falls candidates, Republican incumbent Don Cheatham reported $17,529 in contributions and $5,629 in expenditures. He has received $1,000 contributions from Hill, State Republican PAC of Idaho and Don Cheatham for State Representative. His loans total $5,629.

Democrat challenger Patrick Lippert reported no contributions. Lippert told The Press recently that he is not a serious candidate in the election.

In the House 2-B race, Democratic challenger Dan Hanks reported $14,533 in contributions and $7,846 in expenditures. He reported $2,000 in contributions from himself and $1,000 from the Kootenai County Democratic Central Committee.

Republican Tony Wisniewski reported $13,543 in contributions and $9,591 in expenditures. He reported $8,000 in loans.

There are three races in District 2.

On the Senate side, Republican incumbent Steve Vick reported $16,500 in contributions and $8,817 in expenditures. He received $1,000 each from Brent Hill and the Senate GOP PAC.

Democrat Dale Broadsword reported $6,029 in contributions and $3,055 in expenditures. Two labor unions, IUPAT and United Steelworkers District 12, contributed $1,000 each.

Libertarian Shon Luoma reported no contributions.

The House 2-A race features Republican incumbent Vito Barbieri, who reported $17,960 in contributions and expenditures, and Democrat Maria Andrews, who reported $250 in contributions and no expenditures.

Barbieri had a $1,000 contribution from Winning for Idaho of Boise.

Republican John Green reported $5,972 in contributions and $4,306 in expenditures in his bid for the House 2-B seat. His contributions include $500 each from John Vanderwoude and Winning for Idaho.

Green's opponent, Alanna Brooks, reported no contributions. The Democratic Party has said Alanna Brooks is not a Democrat and has publicly questioned her candidacy.