Money flows into campaigns

Wayne County candidates have been raising thousands of dollars for their primary election campaigns, with one gathering nearly $150,000 in cash and in-kind services so far this year.

Candidate pre-primary campaign finance reports were due April 17 to Indiana Election Division and are available at wwn.to/incf.

Some contributions came from Wayne County individuals and businesses, while others were from Indiana political action committees.

Candidates must disclose cumulative contributions of $100 or more per calendar year or $200 from regular party committees.

Wayne County Republican Party had $34,956.41 as of Jan. 1. During the year, it received $8,462.30. Most ($6,000) came from outgoing House District 56 Representative Brad Barrett plus $1,449.99 from the party’s fundraiser and $1,000 from incumbent State Sen. Jeff Raatz.

The party spent $12,057.75, with $9,400 to DB Plumbing for property repairs, $1,000 to the state GOP and the remainder for operating and utility expenses and Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce membership dues.

Wayne County Democratic Committee had $49,298.46 on hand and raised $15,787.93 so far this year. It spent $1,189.79.

House District 56

The county’s highest-dollar race to date is Indiana House District 56. As the incumbent isn’t running again, donors have an opportunity to help propel a new candidate into the office.

Republican Randy Retter raised $148,845.42 in cash and in-kind services between Jan. 1 and April 10 and spent $110,993.01. The listed contributions from individuals ranged from $75 to $1,000.

Several large contributions have come from Indiana House Republican Campaign Committee in cash or in-kind services. The largest cash contribution was $55,000 on April 6.

Additional HRCC donations in February and March came as $10,000 and two $7,500 gifts.

HRCC’s in-kind assistance included polling ($21,450), a video shoot ($14,607.30), photography ($1,600) and text messaging ($500).

Retter received one $10,000 donation from Hoosiers for Quality Education Inc., which says it supports public, charter and private schools. Indiana State Teachers Association says the HQE gives campaign contributions to candidates who support privatization of public education.

Another $10,000 donation came from Indiana Business for Responsive Government, which is Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s nonpartisan PAC that supports candidates who advocate for business-friendly legislation.

Republican Pete Zaleski, who entered the race shortly before the filing deadline, had raised $36,794.62 and spent $12,379.58, leaving a balance of $24,415.04. Zaleski, a pharmacist at his family’s longtime business Phillips Drugs, has loaned $20,000 to his campaign.

Several of Zaleski’s contributions ranging from $100 to $1,000 came from local business owners or pharmacists around the state. He also raised $7,500 from Indiana Pharmacists PAC and $2,000 from Indiana Pharmacy Association.

Zaleski or Retter will face the Democrats’ nominee, Thomas Rockwell, in November. He has raised $13,356.93 so far this year and spent $9,159.26, with $4,197.67 remaining. Rockwell has contributed $354.60 and received a few gifts from individuals. Nearly $7,000 of his contributions have come through ActBlue Indiana, which is a state political committee and fundraising platform for Democratic candidates.

Senate District 27

Republican Anthony Jones has raised no money toward his campaign to unseat Indiana Senate District 27 incumbent Jeff Raatz, who raised $38,918.68 during the reporting window and spent $7,712.83.

He already had $34,440.59 to start the year and ended the reporting period with $65,646.44.

Raatz’s largest contribution this year, $5,000, came from Hoosiers for Economic Growth PAC.

Raatz also received contributions from several political action committees, including Hoosiers for Quality Education, Indiana Firefighters, Indiana Manufacturers, Lawyers PAC of Indiana, IDEAS, Indiana Multi Family Housing, Stand for Children, Indiana Builders, Indiana Health Care, AT&T, Indiana Dental and Indiana Merit Construction PAC of ABC.

Several of Raatz’s contributions came from individual Indianapolis-area lawyers or law firms plus businesses such as Indianapolis-based Bose Public Affairs Group, Indiana American Water and GEO Reentry Services in Florida.

Jones or Raatz will face the Democrats’ nominee, Ron Itnyre, in November. Itnyre has raised $12,446.58 and spent $1,601.73. He has given $5,540 to the campaign, and in addition to local donations of $100 to $600, has raised $2,991.45 from ActBlue Indiana.

Sheriff

During the reporting period, the two Republican candidates for Wayne County sheriff raised similar amounts.

Alan Moore raised $19,267.67 and spent $15,868.85. Of that amount, Moore loaned his campaign $11,000, and the Committee to Elect Alan Moore for Sheriff, which uses Moore’s address, gave $3,812.54 in early January. He’s received contributions from individuals ranging from $100 to $1,000, and $1,000 from a local business.

Kyle Weatherly has $4,363.30 on hand, after starting the year with $3,348.95, raising $19,451.71 and spending $18,437.36. His largest contribution was $4,000 from a local business, with additional contributions ranging from $100 to $3,000 from individuals and businesses. Weatherly and his wife, Anne, who serves on Richmond Common Council, have given his campaign a total of $3,295.60 this calendar year.

Additional races

• County commissioner: Incumbent Brad Dwenger raised $3,544.52, of which he gave $2,044.52, and spent $2,755.27. Four additional contributions ranged from $250 to $500.

Republican challenger Howard Price has raised $3,200, of which he gave $3,000, and spent $1,122.06, while another Republican challenger, Mark Hoelscher, has spent $285 and raised $0.

• County council: District 2 incumbent Barry Ritter, a Republican, collected $1,939 from his own in-kind contribution for yard signs and advertising. Challenger Brad Wood raised $439 and spent $435.99.

District 4 candidates have no competition in the primary. Democrat Tom Pennington has raised $275 and spent all but 48 cents. Republican Richard Tincher donated $200 to his campaign account and spent $0.

• Prosecutor: Candidate Ashley Green (R) started the year with $2,617.84, raised $100 and spent $805.46.
• Superior Court 2 judge: Candidate Austin Shadle (R) raised $2,097.81 and spent $1,269.77. He faces independent Jessica Richert in the fall.
• Auditor: Candidate Amy Chenowith (R) raised $900 and spent $882.23.

Other candidates for county or township offices appear to have neither raised nor spent any funds.