How legislative candidates are funding their campaigns
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IDAHO FALLS — Here are the biggest spenders in every eastern Idaho legislative district this primary election season.
The following information comes from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office Campaign Public Portal. These totals only included campaign contributions and expenditures for the 2020 calendar year. A more complete look at eastern Idaho candidates’ campaign finances will be available after the May 10, filing date.
Due to the large number of donations and candidates, EastIdahoNews.com is only referencing a sampling of the largest donations — typically those between $500 and $1,000 to candidates in contested races. For a complete listing of all contributors visit the campaign portal.
District 30
Senate
Adam J. Frugoli has brought in the most campaign contributions in eastern Idaho, totaling $45,919. That has been helped along by two loans totaling $25,000.
He has also received multiple $1,000 donations from individuals and businesses such as Doyle Beck, Elizabeth Beck, Bryan Smith, Sharon Smith, Archibald Insurance Center and Guns N Gear, among others.
Frugoli has also accepted $1,000 donations from out-of-state companies such as Physicians Insurance out of Seattle, and The Doctors Management Company out of Napa, California.
Frugoli has spent $12,531 on his campaign. His largest expense has been to ColdSpark Inc., a consulting company out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has spent $6,029 on the company’s services.
Although Kevin Cook has not brought in as much as his opponent, he ranks second in eastern Idaho for most money raised, with a total of $21,519.
He has received a significant amount of $1,000 and $500 contributions, including contributions from outgoing District 30 Sen. Dean Mortimer, and former Idaho Legislator Jeff Siddoway. Richard and Peggy Larson, and David Taylor are among a dozen other large contributors.
Cook has also received $1,000 donations from local businesses Teton Toyota and Biologiq Inc, among others.
He has accepted $1,000 out-of-state donations from Kay Electric out of Taylor, Arizona, and Brian Kay and Terril Kay, also of Arizona.
Cook has outspent his opponent, having spent $16,159. His largest expenses have been on advertising signs. He spent $4,849 with Wright Signs out of Ogden, Utah, and $3,000 with EastIdahoNews.com.
District 31
House: Seat A
David Cannon has brought in $3,941 in donations and loans. His largest donation of $1,000 comes from the Idaho Farm Bureau Agricultural PAC. He also took out a $506 loan.
Cannon’s largest expenses have been on purchasing signs. He has spent $920 with Crazy Cheap Political Signs out of Austin, Texas.
Chad Cole has not submitted any financial paperwork with the Idaho Secretary of State, so contribution and expense reports are not available.
House: Seat B
Incumbent Rep. Julianne Young has raised $7,244. Some of her largest donors include District 13 Rep. Brent Crane, Bryan Smith and Nicholas Contos.
The only company donation is $500 from Winning for Idaho.
She has reported her total expenditures at only $41.
Donavan Harrington has raised $12,271 with help from loans totaling $8,833. His two largest donors are Garth VanOrden and former District 31 representative Julie VanOrden, who donated $1,000 each.
Harrington has spent $8,858 on his campaign, with $5,220 going to Crazy Penguin Media out of Pocatello.
District 32
House: Seat B
Incumbent Rep. Chad Christensen has taken in $9,308. His two largest individual donors are Bryan Smith and Doyle Beck, who each gave $1,000.
Chad Christensen also received a $750 contribution from Abolish Abortion based in Sagle, a $500 donation from Intermountain Emergency Physicians in Idaho Falls and $800 from the Kootenai County Republican Party.
Christensen spent $4,867 on his campaign, with $3,000 going to the Idaho House Republicans.
Outgoing Bonneville County Commissioner Dave Radford has brought in $18,375. He’s accepted multiple $1,000 donations from individuals such as Richard and Peggy Larsen, Roger Ball and Brad Lapray, among others.
Radford has also received a number of $1,000 donations from local companies such as Morgan Construction, Idaho Community Hospital and Bingham Mechanical.
Radford has spent $4,934. His largest expenditures have been with Wright Signs out of Ogden, Utah, where he spent $2,100 as well as $500 with Crazy Penguin Media in Pocatello.
District 33
House: Seat B
Incumbent Rep. Bryan Zollinger reports that he has only received one $100 donation. However, he started his re-election campaign with $2,839 cash on hand.
Zollinger has spent $678, with $500 going to Nicholas Cassano.
Marco Erickson has raised $9,266. He accepted $1,000 donations from Richard Larsen, Peggy Larsen as well as from Greg Carr and Virginia Willard. Carrie Scheid and former Idaho Falls city councilman Edward Marohn donated $500.
Erickson has also outspent his opponent, but not by much. He’s spent $954, with $814 going to Crazy Penguin Media.
District 34
Senate
Outgoing Rep. Doug Ricks has raised $5,100 in his campaign for outgoing Sen. Brent Hill’s Senate seat. He has received $1,000 donations from Richard Larsen, Peggy Larsen, Hill, and a $500 donation from District 20 Sen. Chuck Winder.
He has spent $836 so far, with $500 going to the Region VII Republican Party.
Jacob Householder raised $2,630 with the help of multiple small loans totaling $879 and other small individual donations.
Householder has spent a total of $1,095. His largest expense has gone to GotPrint.com out of Burbank, California, for $735.
House: Seat A
Shane Ruebush has brought in $3,383 including a $1,000 personal loan, a $1,000 donation from Bryan Smith and a $500 from Marlin Hill.
Ruebush has spent $150 with Northwest TeckWorx out of Rexburg.
Jon Weber has raised $8,000, with $1,000 donations from Agra-PAC, Webco Inc., Richard Larsen, Peggy Larsen, and outgoing Sen. Brent Hill. David Taylor gave $500.
Weber has spent $3,937. His largest expense was with Kettle Embroidery in Rexburg for $1,387.
House Seat B
Incumbent Rep. Britt Raybould raised $3,050 with a total of $2,000 coming from Richard and Peggy Larsen. She also received $500 from Taylor Property in Rexburg.
Raybould has spent $3,289, with $3,000 going to the Idaho House Republican Caucus.
Ron Nate has taken in $12,389 with multiple $1,000 donations. Some of his biggest donors include Doyle Beck, Elizabeth Beck, Bryan Smith, Sharon Smith, Jason West, Money Metals Exchange, Smith and Driscoll & Associates and Diversified Equity Systems.
Nate spent $2,002. His largest expenses have been with Jason West for $1,000, Don Fletcher for $500 and GotPrint.com for $492.
District 35
Senate
Incumbent Sen. Van Burtenshaw has brought in $5,500. His largest donors included the Senate Republican PAC, Richard Larsen, Peggy Larsen and former Sen. Brent Hill, each of whom donated $1,000.
He also received an out-of-state $500 donation from Select Health in Murray, Utah.
Burtenshaw has spent $1,539, with $500 going to the Region VII Republicans and $500 to the Senate Republican Caucus.
Jud Miller raised $4,375 with $1,000 donations coming from Doyle Beck, Lynn Beck and Bryan Smith.
Miller reports that so far he has not spent any money on his campaign.
House: Seat A
Incumbent Rep. Jerald Raymond is reporting he has not taken in any donations. He started his campaign with $9,127.
Raymond has spent $1,660, with $500 going to the Bonneville County Republican Party and $750 going to the Idaho Senate Caucus.
Challenger Karey Hanks has brought in $9,350. Hanks’ donations include $1,000 from MorVue Farms in St. Anthony, $1,000 from Max and Lois Hanks and Bryan and Sharon Smith, each gave $500.
Hanks has spent $4,477. Her largest expense has been to Salt Lake Mailing and Printing in Salt Lake City, Utah for $1,699. She also spent $636 with Kalisto Design.
House: Seat B
Incumbent Rep. Rod Furniss has taken in $4,100 with two $1,000 donations from Richard and Peggy Larsen and the campaign of District 27 Rep. Fred Wood. The campaign of District 12 Rep. Gary Collins donated $500.
Furniss has spent $4,474, with $3,000 going to the House Republican Caucus and another $1,000 going to the Region VII Republican Party.
George Judd has brought in $597, with his largest donor being Jeanne Judd, who gave $500.
Judd has spent just $66.