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Wednesday, October 14, 2009
UPDATED: Lt. Gov. Denish Raises $1 Million for Governor's Race
By Barry Massey
Associated Press
SANTA FE — Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has collected $1 million for her campaign for governor since early May and former state Republican Party chairman Allen Weh was the leading GOP gubernatorial fundraiser with receipts of a half million dollars, according to the latest financial reports.
Denish, who is the only announced Democratic candidate for governor, had a cash balance of nearly $2.2 million in her campaign account as of last week — far more than the combined money of the GOP candidates.
Weh reported a cash balance of $372,164. He has been raising money longer than the other three Republicans who've said they're running for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
The latest fundraising reports provide an early yardstick of a candidate's ability to attract financial supporters in New Mexico and elsewhere. In some cases, candidates used personal money to financially jump-start their campaigns.
Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson is term-limited and cannot seek re-election next year. Denish was Richardson's running mate in 2002 and 2006.
Denish collected $930,983 in monetary contributions and $109,886 worth of in-kind donations of goods and services. The Democratic Governors Association accounted for about two-fifths of the donations and its services included polling. Denish's campaign spent $432,928.
Among the largest contributors to Denish were the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, a labor union, $25,000; SunRay Gaming, which runs a Farmington horse racing track and casino, $14,000; Southwest Investment Trust Inc., an Albuquerque real estate company, $11,500; a property fund of Coast Range Investments, which is planning a large industrial park and residential development near Belen, $10,000; Westland DevCo, part of a California-based company developing Albuquerque's west side, $8,000; and $5,000 from Albuquerque developer James Peterson and $10,000 from his company, Peterson Properties Investments. Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, who is from Lovington, gave $2,000 to Denish.
Weh raised $559,818 from all sources. That included $494,893 in monetary contributions, $250,000 loaned by the candidate and in-kind contributions of $64,925. The donations included almost $14,000 from Weh and his air charter company for expenses they picked up and nearly $33,000 from an Albuquerque company for a Web site. The campaign spent $122,729.
Weh had several contributors who gave $25,000: Mack Energy Corp., an oil and natural gas production company in Artesia; Steven Maestas of Los Ranchos, a commercial estate company executive and Weh's son-in-law; and Michael Merrell of Belen, a health care company executive. The campaign received $12,000 from John Wilger, an Albuquerque contractor.
Financial summaries of other GOP candidates for governor:
— Albuquerque businessman Doug Turner raised $341,998, with most of that personal money. His receipts included $243,552 in personal loans, $12,300 in monetary contributions and $86,146 worth of in-kind contributions, with almost $60,000 of that from Turner's public relations company. His campaign spent $44,752 and had a cash balance of $211,100. His contributors included Merrion Oil and Gas of Farmington, $2,500. Turner said he plans to formally announce his candidacy later this month. He managed former Gov. Gary Johnson's re-election in 1998.
— Dona County District Attorney Susana Martinez collected $143,677, including $2,412 worth of in-kind donations. She spent $10,607 and had a cash balance of $130,658. Martinez loaned no money to her campaign. Her largest contributors included $10,000 from Mark Murphy, a Roswell oilman, and $5,000 from his wife, Susan; and $10,000 each from Royal Jones, a Las Cruces trucking company owner; Anna Emerick-Biad, a Las Cruces businesswoman and the campaign's treasurer; and Joseph Semprevivo, a Vero Beach, Fla. businessman.
— State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones of Albuquerque raised $23,117, including in-kind donations of $2,172. Her campaign spent $12,658 and had a cash balance of $8,287. Her contributors included Juan Valdez, an Albuquerque contractor, $5,000; and Diane Moseley Claire, a Santa Fe investor, $2,000.
Tuesday was the deadline for state office candidates and political committees to file reports with the secretary of state covering campaign contributions and expenditures from early May through Oct. 5.
Candidates do not formally file for state and legislative offices until early next year.
Currently, there is no limit on how much individuals or businesses can give to candidates for state offices such as governor and the Legislature. However, that will change after the 2010 elections when a new ethics law takes effect to limit contributions.
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