Outside interests finance campaign

BOISE – U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo may be unopposed in his bid for re-election this year, but that’s not keeping cash from rolling into his campaign – most of it from outside Idaho.

A finance disclosure report filed with the Federal Election Commission showed Crapo raised over a quarter of a million dollars in April, May and June, and all but $6,300 of it came from out of state. Of 246 contributions during the period, just 20 were from Idaho.

Business interests contributing ran the gamut from timber, mining and agriculture to banking, insurance, health care, transportation and defense contractors. Two-thirds of the money came from special interest political action committees, and the rest from individuals.

Though he’s letting the money pile up for now, instead of spending it, Crapo says he isn’t taking his uncontested re-election for granted.

“There is a write-in opponent,” Crapo said, referring to Twin Falls businessman Scott McClure, who indicated last month he would run as a write-in but has not formally notified the secretary of state’s office.

“I am very cautious, and I do run my campaigns very carefully and very aggressively,” Crapo said. “And fund raising is not the only aspect we have been heavily engaged in. We have been organizing for months and months, and we have a strong message-development and events campaign in place.”

The new disclosure report showed that through June, Crapo raised more than $1.9 million to finance the bid for a second term and spent nearly $920,000. Combined with the cash balance he brought into the campaign from his last Senate race, Crapo had more than $1.3 million in the bank with four months left before the election. That balance has been steadily growing for more than six months.

Even without more money, Crapo would have to spend nearly $11,000 a day to use up that balance.

Crapo has also raised nearly $185,000 for his own political action fund, the Freedom Fund, which could finance a campaign for a GOP leadership job in the Senate.