The Montana Republican Party finances can be found on the FEC website.
For February, the GOP took in about $56,000 and spent $59,000. As March began, they had nearly $105,000 cash on hand.
When it comes to the money they took in, here are some things that stood out to me:
- The RNC gave the party $12,200.
- Russ Fagg Senate Committee gave the party nearly $4,000.
- Darby’s Triple Creek Ranch owner, Craig Barrett, gave the party $2,500.
- Chicago’s Health Care Service Corporation gave the party $2,500.
- Matt Rosendale for Montana gave the party $2,500.
- CoreCivic’s PAC gave the party $1,000.
- Texas’s Denbury Resources PAC gave the party $1,000.
- Helena consultant, Bowen Greenwood, gave the party $800.
- Danes Montana Victory Committee gave the party $600.
- Helena political consultant, Shelby DeMars, gave the party $375.
- Libby Rep, Steve Gunderson, gave the party $375.
- Hamilton Rep, Nancy Ballance, gave the party $100.
When it comes to the money the GOP spent, this is what stood out to me:
- $17,000 was spent to rent out the Colonial in Helena for an event with catering.
- $10,000 was given to New York’s Fulcrum Campaign Strategies for political strategy consulting.
- $5,000 was given to Kansas’s Southwest Publishing & Mailing Corporation for direct mail.
- $3,500 was given to North Carolina’s Daughtry & Company for books for an event, as well as a Delta Flight.
- $2,500 was given to Virginia’s Advantage Direct Communications for data consulting.
- $2,100 was given to Virginia’s Pinnacle List Company for a “list rental.”
- $2,000 was given to Florida’s Steve Brown Direct Marketing for fundraising and direct mail.
- $1,300 was given to Bozeman’s John Connell for photography.
- $900 was given to Helena’s K&J Convention Services for some kind of event.
- $680 was given to Colorado’s Wiland Direct for fundraising and direct mail.
- $650 was given to Maryland’s Clockwork Systems for data management services.
- $330 was given to New Hampshire’s Talient Action Group to print a banner.
There are 25 total spending entries in the GOP’s report, yet just 6 of them are Montana businesses.
In addition to this spending, we see that:
- Wyatt Bertsch was paid $1,334 in salary for the month.
- John Perkins was paid $2,390 in salary.
- Patrick Webb was paid $2,052 in salary.
The Montana Democratic Party finances can be found on the FEC website.
The Democrats took in $167,000 for the month, spent $115,000 and had $427,000 cash on hand as March began.
When it comes to the money they took in, here are some things that stood out to me:
- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) gave the party $22,500.
- The DNC gave the party nearly $13,000.
- D.C.’s Democratic Grassroots Victory Fund gave the party $10,000.
- Maine’s Selwyn Donald Sussman gave the party $10,000.
- The DNC State Party Victory Fund gave the party nearly $8,000.
- Laborers’ International Union gave the party $5,000.
- Friends of Max Baucus gave the party $5,000.
- BNSF RailPAC gave the party $2,500.
- Former U.S. Senator John Walsh gave the party $1,500.
- U.S. House-hopeful, Lynda Moss, gave the party $1,000.
- Helena’s Arthur Noonan gave the party $1,000.
- Helena’s David Hunter gave the party $1,000.
- Helena’s Jesse Laslovich gave the party $500.
- CoreCivic PAC gave the party $500 ($500 less than they gave to the GOP).
- Kier for Congress gave the party $500.
- Williams for Montana gave the party $500.
- Havre Rep, Jacob Bachmeier, gave the party $140.
- Helena Rep, Janet Ellis, gave the party $140.
- Helena’s Martha Funk gave the party $140.
- Choteau’s Mary Sexton gave the party $50.
When it comes to the money the Democrats spent, this is what stood out to me:
- $24,257 was given to Illinois’ Paychex for payroll services/taxes.
- $13,500 was given to D.C.’s MSRC for polling.
- $6,200 was paid to Nancy Keenan in salary.
- $4,500 was paid to Trent Bolger in salary.
- $3,650 was paid to Brooke Bainum in salary (she’s the new communications director for the Party).
- $3,500 was given to D.C.’s New Blue Interactive for donor development.
- $3,300 was paid to Roy Lowenstein in salary.
- $3,200 was paid to Justin Ailport in salary.
- $3,100 was paid to Nick Lockridge in salary.
- $3,050 was paid to Megan Simpson in salary.
- $2,900 was given to the DNC to access voter files.
- $2,800 was given to Chicago’s Blue State Digital for web services.
- $2,472 was paid to Chris Meagher in salary.
- $2,280 was paid to James Young in salary.
- $2,200 was given to Texas’s Health Care Service Corporation for health insurance.
- $2,080 was paid to Thomas Culver in salary.
- $1,780 was paid to Olivia Slack in salary.
- $1,500 was paid to Allison Dale-Riddle in salary.
- $1,000 was given to Billings’ Just A Taste Catering for food.
- $800 was paid to Amanda Frickle in salary.
- $665 was paid to Theodore Dick in salary.
- $300 was spent on Facebook ads.
There’s a lot more in the spending section, but I didn’t add it all up. The amount of eating out alone is quite staggering, but then it always has been.
Over $71,000 was spent paying the 14 people on the Montana Democratic Party’s staff, compared with the $5,800 spent by the Montana GOP to keep three people on staff.
The last report filed by the Libertarian Party of Montana was in January 2017, a termination report. The Party lists $0 currently on hand.
There are no FEC listings at all for the Montana Green Party.
