HELENA — As primary ballots are scheduled to be sent to Montana voters from May 10, fundraising in the state’s U.S. House races is intensifying.
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The competitive race to succeed U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale in the eastern congressional district currently has eight Republicans and four Democrats actively campaigning — among them are three candidates who have invested significant amounts of their personal funds into the race.
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In the Republican primary, State Auditor Troy Downing raised over $602,000 in the first quarter of 2024, which includes a $200,000 personal loan to his campaign. He had previously contributed another $150,000 of his own money.
Downing’s campaign expenditures totaled more than $570,000 in the first quarter, with a remaining balance of just over $325,000 at the beginning of April.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen raised over $546,000 in the first quarter, including a $450,000 loan to her campaign within that period. Arntzen had previously loaned another $250,000 last year while the campaign was in its exploratory phase before Rosendale opted out of seeking re-election.
Arntzen’s campaign spent nearly $296,000 from January to March, leaving them with approximately $369,000 in cash on hand.
Former U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg entered the race in March and reported raising close to $380,000 in his initial financial disclosure, including a $300,000 personal loan. Rehberg utilized only about $7,000 of those funds prior to April 1.
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State Senate President Pro Tem Sen. Ken Bogner from Miles City reported receiving just over $39,000 in contributions during the first quarter and spending more than $29,000, leaving him with just under $10,000 in funds.
Former state Rep. Joel Krautter from Billings raised over $28,000 in three months, including a $1,740 self-provided amount for his candidate filing fee. Krautter’s campaign spent $16,000 during that time and had a balance of just over $22,000.
Stacy Zinn, a former DEA state supervisor from Billings, brought in more than $22,000 in the first quarter and spent just over $2,000. Her campaign had approximately $22,000 in cash reserves at the beginning of April.
Two Republican candidates did not have their first-quarter campaign finance reports available on the Federal Election Commission website as of Wednesday morning.
Former state Sen. Ric Holden from Glendive estimated that his campaign had expended about $45,000 during the reporting period, with two-thirds of that being his own funds.
Billings pharmacist Kyle Austin mentioned that he had spent around $16,000 in the first quarter.
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On the Democratic side, rancher and business owner Steve Held from Broadus reported a fundraising total of over $46,000 after launching his campaign toward the end of February. This amount included a $30,000 loan he provided to the campaign. Held’s expenditures reached slightly over $7,000 by the end of the first quarter, with nearly $39,000 remaining in cash on hand.
Kevin Hamm, the president of the Montana Pride and a business owner from Helena, brought in almost $22,000 between January and March. His campaign spent more than $21,000 during that period and had about $3,000 in reserves at the beginning of April.
Ming Cabrera, a retired pharmaceutical sales representative from Billings, raised close to $9,000 in the first quarter, including a $1,740 self-provided amount for the filing fee. Her campaign spent just under $12,000 and had almost $21,000 left in cash reserves.
The fourth Democratic candidate, John Driscoll from Helena, stated that he is not actively fundraising for his campaign and intends to spend significantly less than the $5,000 threshold that mandates candidates to file an FEC report.
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In Montana’s western congressional district, candidates combined to raise over $2 million in the first quarter of 2024.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke led the fundraising efforts during that period, bringing in just under $1.5 million. His campaign has accumulated over $5 million since the beginning of 2023. Expenditures totaled slightly over $1 million in the first quarter, leaving the campaign with $2.3 million in reserves.
Democrat Monica Tranel, an attorney from Missoula, raised more than $742,000 in the first quarter and over $1.9 million since starting her campaign last year. Tranel spent more than $281,000 over the period and had over $1.3 million left in cash reserves.
Mary Todd, a business owner and pastor from Kalispell, is challenging Zinke in the GOP primary. She reported raising more than $74,000 in the first quarter, with $71,000 being self-funded. Todd’s expenditures totaled more than $40,000, leaving her with just under $34,000 in reserves at the beginning of April.
Tranel is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Two candidates are competing in the Libertarian primary in the western district: Dennis Hayes from Townsend and Ernie Noble from Bozeman. Neither candidate has filed a campaign finance report with the FEC yet.
