Challenger Wes Breckenridge is outpacing incumbent Rep. Dan Kelley in fundraising for the Iowa House District 29 Democratic nomination in September, having raised about $2,700 more, according to reports filed Thursday with the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board.
The second state-required reporting deadline for campaign contributions leading up to the June 7 primary was Thursday afternoon covering the period from Jan. 1 to May 14.
Breckenridge’s committee, which is chaired by Carol Kramer and has Laura Engel as its treasurer, reports $7,500 in cash contributions during the reporting period. Kelley, who lists his chairperson as Glen Jessie and his treasurer as Scott DeVries, took in about $4,800 in contributions, spent about $3,700 and turned what had been a negative balance into an ending balance of $246 as of May 14.
Breckenridge had about 200 separate cash contributions listed. Most are from individuals who live in Newton. The largest donation was from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union in the amount of $2,000. None of the other contributions are greater than $260.
Expenditures of about $11,000 left Breckenridge’s account with a balance of about $4,700.
Kelley’s report includes 81 contributions, all from individuals. Fifteen are Jasper County residents. He didn’t list any in-kind donations. Breckenridge listed an estimated $1,600 worth of such donations.
Breckenridge got out to a strong start in fundraising before the end of 2015, when the previous reporting period ended. 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. Kelley, who was elected to a third term in 2014, raised more than $5,300 in 2015, but his account still had a negative balance.
The Kelley reported on the legislature deadline of Jan. 19, 2015, that the committee had a negative balance of $2,300. While Kelley’s improved by more than $1,000 from Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015, it still had an ending balance that exceeded negative $1,000.
Patrick Payton, unopposed on the Republican side in District 29, raised about $3,500 this spring as he prepares to face either Breckenridge or Kelley in the general election. A Cumming resident contributed $1,900 of his total.
Another legislator whose district includes part of Jasper County, District 28 Rep. Greg Heartsill (R-Columbia), is unopposed in his June 7 primary. He raised $3,200 this spring, spent minimally and has about $8,800 to work with as the general election cycle begins.
The two Democrats vying to oppose Heartsill, Lois DeWaard and Marty Duffy, have only one Jasper County contributor between them. DeWaard has made two personal contributions to her own campaign, totaling $240, while Duffy has taken in about $1,600 in mostly small donations and has only spent $600.
A full list of Iowa House candidate reports can be viewed online at bit.ly/1t9voN9
Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com