Both of Montana’s gubernatorial candidates submitted their 2016 campaign reports for March yesterday..
The two reports cover the period of February 27 to March 27, 2016.
You can also see last period's numbers if the post I did then.
The two reports cover the period of February 27 to March 27, 2016.
You can also see last period's numbers if the post I did then.
Greg Gianforte’s 2016 March Fundraising Report
Gianforte raised $111,897 for the primary and the general.
He also spent $80,574, leaving him with $362,150.63 in the bank.
Gianforte accepts no PAC money so there’s nothing to report there. When it comes to big-time fundraisers, he’s only done “Pass the Hat” events, primarily those associated with his Regulation Roundup events. This brought in $250 across seven events.
When it comes to Gianforte’s spending he’s got 4 pages. To me, highlights include:
Alright, let’s get into this.
First, I feel that paying credit card fees is a waste of money, but I can accept it.
Why it has to go to a Louisiana company, however, I’m not sure of nor am I fond of. Considering you’re paying $182.08 to Helena’s Valley Bank for the same thing…why not just do all credit cards with them?
Guys, don’t make this a campaign issue when it doesn’t have to be.
Then, paying $16,785 to a Indiana website hosting company is not a smart move on the Gianforte campaign’s part.
Wow, what the hell are you thinking?
After that there’s the $4,800 for the announcement tour video that he spent with Virginia’s Red Print Strategy.
Perhaps these are carryover expenses from those initial purchases. I guess you can play that…but for how long?
Mainly, if this trend of out-of-state spending continues, you really have to ask, are Montana jobs that important to Gianforte?
The way his spending with hi-tech, telecommuting-style jobs is going, it sure seems he doesn’t.
Finally, are you telling me you have to go with a Wisconsin printing company for a 15,000 piece mailer?
No Montana companies could do that, huh?
That’s more than $11,000 dollars there – enough to pay some employees for some time.
Boy, talk about stupid on the part of the Gianforte campaign.
He also spent $80,574, leaving him with $362,150.63 in the bank.
Gianforte accepts no PAC money so there’s nothing to report there. When it comes to big-time fundraisers, he’s only done “Pass the Hat” events, primarily those associated with his Regulation Roundup events. This brought in $250 across seven events.
When it comes to Gianforte’s spending he’s got 4 pages. To me, highlights include:
- $2,549.54 in pay to Ron Catlett
- $2,245.14 in pay to Morgan Darlington
- $3,372.43 in pay to Paige Davis
- $5,339.23 in pay to Aaron Flint
- $1,864.05 in pay to Devin Morrison
- $1,946.84 in pay to Edward Johnson
- $5,951.83 in pay to Amy Lunde
- $7,986.56 in Payroll Taxes to the IRS in Utah
- $1,386 in Payroll Taxes to the Montana Department of Revenue
- $1,705.55 for Bookkeeping and Compliance Reporting from Helena’s Special Projects
- $353.79 for 100 Rally Signs from Billings’ The Political Company
- $1,027.94 for 3,000 Lapel Stickers and 500 Bumper Stickers from Billings’ The Political Company
- $660 for a Fundraising Event at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish
- $90 for tickets to a Virginia Friends of NRA event
- $500 for a Statewide Data Subscription from I360 in Maryland
- $976.63 in Credit Card Fees to Louisiana’s Anedot
- $99 for Iowa-based Montana News Tracker’s Newspaper Clipping Service
- $16,785.15 for Retainer Web Site Hosting from Indiana’s Prosper Group Corporation
- $4,800 for an Announcement Tour Video from Virginia’s Red Print Strategy
- $11,694.81 for 15,000 piece Fundraising Letter with postage from Wisconsin’s Unisource Direct
Alright, let’s get into this.
First, I feel that paying credit card fees is a waste of money, but I can accept it.
Why it has to go to a Louisiana company, however, I’m not sure of nor am I fond of. Considering you’re paying $182.08 to Helena’s Valley Bank for the same thing…why not just do all credit cards with them?
Guys, don’t make this a campaign issue when it doesn’t have to be.
Then, paying $16,785 to a Indiana website hosting company is not a smart move on the Gianforte campaign’s part.
Wow, what the hell are you thinking?
After that there’s the $4,800 for the announcement tour video that he spent with Virginia’s Red Print Strategy.
Perhaps these are carryover expenses from those initial purchases. I guess you can play that…but for how long?
Mainly, if this trend of out-of-state spending continues, you really have to ask, are Montana jobs that important to Gianforte?
The way his spending with hi-tech, telecommuting-style jobs is going, it sure seems he doesn’t.
Finally, are you telling me you have to go with a Wisconsin printing company for a 15,000 piece mailer?
No Montana companies could do that, huh?
That’s more than $11,000 dollars there – enough to pay some employees for some time.
Boy, talk about stupid on the part of the Gianforte campaign.
Steve Bullock’s 2016 March Fundraising Report
Montana Governor Steve Bullock raised $159,028.27 for the primary and the general.
He spent $44,572.92 which leaves him with $1,130,769.63 in the bank.
The PAC/Event fundraising highlights are as follows:
After that you get 61 page of individual contributors to the Bullock campaign. I guess if you wanted to you could go through those, seeing which states the donors are from.
That’s something for the paid Gianforte staff to do, however, not I.
For Bullock’s campaign spending these are the things that stood out to me:
Alright, let’s analyze some of this.
Giving fees to Actblue is just a shady way the National Democrats funnel money from state races to Hillary. It’s sleazy, slimy, and I hope it stops. I have no expectation that it will, however.
People can eat on their own dime. If money is so important to Bullock, why is he spending it on food for supporters and not the votes of those still on the fence? Probably because he has bad campaign advice.
Wow, talk about a bust on the Jeff Bridges event. Just over $1,000 brought in for that?
On top of it Bullock spent $2,000 for the theatre and the staff, another $215 for the sound engineer, and then $532 for food.
So that’s a net loss of $1,597 for that event.
I’m sorry, but that will not play well…should the Gianforte campaign decide to play it up.
And they will – when it becomes clear that Gianforte is not doing well in the polls, the campaign will indeed "get ugly."
Wow, I can’t wait. I love drama! Hell, that’s how I make my living.
So expect to see some of these snafus on your TV come the heavy campaign season.
Hey, it’s just politics.
He spent $44,572.92 which leaves him with $1,130,769.63 in the bank.
The PAC/Event fundraising highlights are as follows:
- The Jeff Bridges Wilma Event: $1,150
- Democratic Governor’s Association: $660
- MHA PAC State Fund: $650
- Montana Police Protective Assn PAC: $150
After that you get 61 page of individual contributors to the Bullock campaign. I guess if you wanted to you could go through those, seeing which states the donors are from.
That’s something for the paid Gianforte staff to do, however, not I.
For Bullock’s campaign spending these are the things that stood out to me:
- $891.47 in Credit Card Processing Fees from Massachusette’s Actblue Technical Services
- $2,175.42 for 15,750 Printed Postcards and Cards from Bozeman’s Artcraft Printers
- $960 to Helena’s Benny’s Bistro for Event Food/meals
- $650 to Billings Depot for Event Food/meals
- $2,214.82 to Missoula’s Brock Consulting
- $3,021.49 to Missoula’s Campaign Compliance for Accounting fee/postage
- $2,033.23 to Virginia’s Direct Connect for Credit Card Processing Fee
- $2,755 to East Helena’s Element L Design for Graphic Design and Printing
- $215 for a Missoula sound engineer at an event
- $200 for Event Food/meals at Billings’ Magic City Casino
- $2,978.08 for Postcards and Invite Printing from Billings’ Mailing Technical Services
- $4,352.30 for Salary Reimbursement to the Montana Democratic Party
- $4,424.97 for Airfare with Missoula’s Neptune Aviation Services
- $2,671.84 for Airfare with the State of Montana
- $821.25 for Computer Support from Michigan’s Salsa Labs
- $2,000 for Room Rental/Salary for the Wilma in Missoula
- $532 for Food/meals at the Wilma
Alright, let’s analyze some of this.
Giving fees to Actblue is just a shady way the National Democrats funnel money from state races to Hillary. It’s sleazy, slimy, and I hope it stops. I have no expectation that it will, however.
People can eat on their own dime. If money is so important to Bullock, why is he spending it on food for supporters and not the votes of those still on the fence? Probably because he has bad campaign advice.
Wow, talk about a bust on the Jeff Bridges event. Just over $1,000 brought in for that?
On top of it Bullock spent $2,000 for the theatre and the staff, another $215 for the sound engineer, and then $532 for food.
So that’s a net loss of $1,597 for that event.
I’m sorry, but that will not play well…should the Gianforte campaign decide to play it up.
And they will – when it becomes clear that Gianforte is not doing well in the polls, the campaign will indeed "get ugly."
Wow, I can’t wait. I love drama! Hell, that’s how I make my living.
So expect to see some of these snafus on your TV come the heavy campaign season.
Hey, it’s just politics.
