First financials indicate donor boosts, one withdrawal
Craig Northrup Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 3 months AGO
The first wave of donation and expense reports from the eight candidates seeking the three open Coeur d’Alene City Council seats have been released, detailing the financial health of each campaign and signaling the early end of one run.
The race for Seat 1, held by the retiring Ron Edinger, is a financial horse race between Christie Wood and Elaine Price. Wood reported $4,159 in contributions as of Oct. 10. Price, a self-described political outsider, reported a total of $4,747.25, the vast majority coming from Price herself. Wood is far from outpaced in the political pocketbook, however; she has reported $899.66 in expenditures, compared to Price’s $4,613.70, leaving her with only $133.50 in cash on hand, compared to the $3,259.34 in Wood’s war chest.
In the race for Seat 3, incumbent Dan Gookin has taken in $5,610 in contributions — $3,000 from a loan to the campaign, with $4,075.65 still in the bank. His challenger, Michael Pereira, has raised $1,250, with only $100 coming from his own bank account. Pereira hadn’t spent anything when the report was filed.
The four-person race for Seat 5 has incumbent Dan English enjoying a healthy lead in both contributions and cash on hand. The longtime public official raised $5,455.62 as of Oct. 10, $530.31 coming from a loan. His campaign has spent less than half of the available funds so far, with $3,244.61 still available to spend.
Lacey Moen, one of three candidates vying for English’s seat, has raised $2,435 so far in the campaign, $1,065 coming from a loan she made to the campaign herself. A number of contributors were generated from a social media campaign that urges donors to give $36, which represents both her age and the average age of Coeur d’Alene residents. Moen has so far spent $1,577.87 in her bid to become the next representative of Seat 5.
Tom Morgan entered the race with a beginning balance of $150 and donated an additional $153 to his campaign. He has spent $255.14 of his available $303 so far.
Roger Huntman announced in his Oct. 10 financial disclosure report the $40 he contributed to his campaign represents the only funds raised. He spent that $40 on the filing fee to declare his candidacy. The report also serves as his termination report, meaning he has officially suspended any additional campaigning. Coeur d’Alene City Clerk Renata McLeod confirmed Huntman’s name will still appear on the ballot.
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