Lt. Gov. John Sanchez has loaned $200,500 to his campaign for the Republican nomination for New Mexico’s open U.S. Senate seat, according to a finance report released Monday by the campaign.
Sanchez had a cash balance of $246,539 in his campaign account at the end of June.
The Senate seat is open next year because Democratic incumbent Jeff Bingaman is retiring.
Sanchez collected $111,487 in contributions since announcing his candidacy in May. That provided his campaign with total receipts of $311,987, including the loans of personal money.
Sanchez, who took office in January, was the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2002 but lost to Democrat Bill Richardson in the general election.
Sanchez owns a roofing company in Albuquerque, and mostly self-financed his primary election campaign for lieutenant governor last year.
Former GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson collected $446,560 in contributions from April through June for her Senate bid. She had cash-on-hand of $604,181, according to a fundraising summary released by her campaign.
On the Democratic side, Congressman Martin Heinrich had cash-on-hand of $709,683 in his Senate campaign account. He received $485,244 in contributions during the quarter.
Democratic state Auditor Hector Balderas raised $407,634 and reported a cash balance of $370,867.
In 2008, when New Mexico also had an open Senate seat, the Democratic and GOP nominees spent a combined $12 million on their campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
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July 18, 2011 2:20 p.m.
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez has loaned $200,500 to his campaign for the Republican nomination for New Mexico’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Sanchez disclosed the loans in a Federal Election Commission report released by his campaign on Monday.
Sanchez raised nearly $312,000, including the loans, since announcing his candidacy in May. He reports a cash balance of $246,000 at the end of June.
Former GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson collected almost $447,000 in contributions from April through June, and had cash-on-hand of $604,000 in her Senate campaign account.
Democratic Congressman Martin Heinrich reports a cash balance of nearly $710,000 in his Senate campaign fund. He collected $485,000 in contributions.
Democratic state Auditor Hector Balderas raised almost $408,000 during the last quarter and reports a cash balance of almost $371,000.
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July 18, 2011 11:04 a.m. — Heinrich Has $710K for U.S. Senate Campaign
Democratic Congressman Martin Heinrich reports having nearly $710,000 available for his campaign for New Mexico’s open U.S. Senate seat.
Heinrich collected $485,000 in contributions from April through the end of June. That’s according to a fundraising summary released by his campaign.
Democratic state Auditor Hector Balderas raised almost $408,000 during the last quarter. He reports cash-on-hand of almost $371,000 at the end of June in his Senate campaign account.
On the Republican side, former Congresswoman Heather Wilson collected almost $447,000 in contributions and had a cash balance of $604,000 in her Senate campaign account.
Republican Lt. Gov. John Sanchez announced in late May that he’s running for the Senate seat being vacated by Democrat Jeff Bingaman. No fundraising summary was available from Sanchez’s campaign.
-- Email the reporter at jmcelroy@abqjournal.com. Call the reporter at 505-823-3823



