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Eye On Boise

Leroy, Fulcher tout fundraising, endorsements as 1st CD race gears up

The first round of campaign finance reports is out in Idaho’s 2018 race for the open 1st Congressional District seat that current Rep. Raul Labrador is leaving to run for governor, and so far, GOP hopefuls David Leroy and Russ Fulcher have been actively raising funds. As of June 30, Leroy had raised more than $114,000, with he and his wife contributing $50,000 of that. At the close of the reporting period, Leroy had spent $32,709 and had $81,295 cash on hand for the campaign.

Fulcher reported raising $53,723 and spending just $846, leaving $52,877 in the bank. His biggest donors were Doyle and Elizabeth Beck of Idaho Falls, who gave $2,500 each; and John and Teresa McCallum of Glenns Ferry, who gave $2,700 each; neither of those locations is in the 1st Congressional District. Fulcher also had a $1,000 contribution from Tom Luna, the former state schools superintendent who had considered the race, and then decided not to run.

Leroy’s biggest donors other than himself were Richard A. Howard of Accounting Northwest PA in Fruitland, who donated $9,015 worth of in-kind accounting services; Dennis and Kathryn Johnson of Eagle, who each gave $2,700 for the primary and $2,700 for the general; Kenneth and Katlheen Fait of Newport Beach, Calif., who did the same; and Rex and Marybeth Chandler of Boise, who gave $2,700 each.

Neither candidate reported any donations from PACs; all their contributions came from individuals.  

Both candidates issued statements last week touting their initial fundraising. Fulcher said he piled up the whole batch in just seven days. Leroy said he received contributions from 89 donors, with more than 90 percent of the money coming from individuals in Idaho.

Both also announced new endorsements:

Leroy said veteran Idaho attorney and lobbyist Roy Eiguren will be his campaign co-chairman, and also announced endorsements from former Idaho Gov. Phil Batt and former Idaho First Lady Patricia Kempthorne.

Fulcher noted his endorsements from outgoing Rep. Labrador; Meridian Mayor Tammy DeWeerd; state Treasurer Ron Crane; and 22 current GOP state legislators.

Two other candidates have filed for the seat, Democrat Michael William Smith of Post Falls and Republican Michael Snyder of Bonners Ferry, but neither of those lesser-known hopefuls has filed a campaign finance report, according to the Federal Election Commission.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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