March 29, 2024

Breckenridge outpacing Kelley in fundraising

Iowa House primary set for June 7

The campaign committee to elect Wes Breckenridge, a Newton police lieutenant who announced his candidacy for the Iowa House District 29 Democratic nomination in September, has raised nearly three times as much money as incumbent Rep. Dan Kelley and from more than three times as many contributors.

Though there are still more than five months left before the primary election, Breckenridge is out to a strong start in fundraising. The first state-required reporting deadline for campaign contributions was Tuesday, and Breckenridge appears to have found a strong number of Newton-area supporters.

Breckenridge’s committee reports contributions that go back to September, around the time he publicly announced his candidacy. There were about $9,300 in contributions to the Breckenridge campaign between Sept. 23 and Dec. 31, while Kelley had about $3,400 in that same period of time.

The reporting period runs the entire calendar year, Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2015. Kelley, who was elected to a third term in 2014, raised $5,345 in 2015, but his account still has a negative balance.

The committee for Kelley reported on the legislature deadline of Jan. 19, 2015, that the committee had a balance of almost negative $2,300. While Kelley’s balance improved by more than $1,000, it had a Dec. 31 ending balance of almost negative $1,200.

Breckenridge’s campaign had 163 contributors — all of whom are individuals and most of whom live in Newton. A small amount came in through the political-action contribution website actblue.com.

Breckenridge also contributed $1,000 of his own personal money toward the campaign. Breckenridge’s committee lists a Dec. 31 balance forward of about $8,300.

Kelley received contributions from 52 sources in 2015, 17 of whom are individuals who list a Newton address. His committee received contributions from eight separate political-action committees, including $1,000 from the Iowa Dental PAC. Bankers Unite in Legislative Decisions, or BUILD, made a $1,000 contribution on Dec. 22.

Another legislator whose district includes part of Jasper County, Greg Heartsill (R-Columbia), started 2015 with a balance of more than $4,000 in his committee’s account. He raised about $2,500 in 2015 to finish with a balance of more than $5,300.

Kelley’s campaign spent more than $4,200 in 2015. That includes about $2,700 spent since Sept. 23; Breckenridge spent less than $1,800 in its first three months of existence.

The primary is slated for June 7. There is one more reporting deadline before that date; reports due May 19 will cover contributions between Jan. 1 and May 14, 2016.

A full list of Iowa candidate reports can be viewed online here: http://bit.ly/1t9voN9

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com