Dixon, Scott lead in campaign fundraising

SANDPOINT — Incumbent Republican lawmakers Sage Dixon and Heather Scott have assembled considerable war chests in their quest to retain their seats in the Idaho Legislature, according to public campaign finance records.

Dixon, who holds the District 1B seat in the House of Representatives, entered the 2020 election cycle with $14,864 and took in $35,264 in contributions, Idaho Secretary of State records show. Dixon took in $1,000 contributions from the Idaho Association of Realtors, Bali Ventures in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Bankers Association and nutritional supplement maker Melaluca. Dixon also collected $500 contributions from JP Morgan Chase, AT&T, Hecla Mining Co., the Idaho Petroleum Marketer's Association, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, BNSF Railway Co., Avista, the Idaho Chooses Life political action committee and Bayer U.S., campaign finance records indicate.

Dixon spent $35,639 during his re-election campaign, leaving $14,489 in cash on hand.

Dixon's opponent, Bonners Ferry Democrat Steven Howlett, began his campaign with $3,065 and amassed $1,645 during the election cycle. His biggest benefactors were the Boundary and Bonner county Democrat central committees, which donated $2,500 and $500, respectively.

Bonner County Republican Dan Rose, who's running as a write-in candidate in the House 1B contest, listed $2,570 in total contributions and $2,185 in expenditures. Rose loaned himself $500 and collected scores of unitemized contributions from private individuals.

Scott, meanwhile, began her contest to retain her 1A seat in the House with $12,775 and took in $26,113 this year. The Blanchard Republican spent $8,689. Scott's biggest donors included Stefan Gleason of Charlotte, N.C. ($2,000), the Money Metals Exchange in Eagle ($1,000) and the Rhino PAC ($1,000). Scott also received $500 donations from the Idaho Rino and Winning for Idaho PACs.

Scott's opponent in the Nov. 3 general election, Sagle Democrat Gail Bolin, listed zero contributions and expenditures, secretary of state records show.

Incumbent District 1 Sen. Jim Woodward held a beginning balance of $22,918 and collected another $12,850 during his 2020 campaign. He received $1,000 donations from Idaho Forest Group and the Senate Republican and the Idaho AGC PACs. Woodward also received a $750 contribution from BNSF, in addition to $500 contributions from the PFFI, IHA and Idaho Sugarbeet Growers PACs.

Woodward's challenger, Hope Democrat Vera Gadman, report no contributions or expenditures during the campaign, according to finance records.

Sagle Democrat Steve Johnson raised $7,013 in his bid to unseat incumbent Republican District 1 county Commissioner Steven Bradshaw. Johnson expended $6,967 during his campaign and received contributions from the Bonner County Democrat Central Committee ($1,500), himself ($1,000) and Panhandle Forest Products ($500).

Bradshaw began the election cycle with $941 and collected $4,073. Bradshaw loaned himself $1,900 and paired that with a $500 donation from JD Lumber and a $300 contribution from the Rhino PAC.

Incumbent Republican Sheriff Daryl Wheeler began the election cycle with $1,947 and collected another $1,928. Wheeler's largest donor was Air 1 Sandpoint Helicopters, which contributed $500 to Wheeler's re-election bid. The bulk of his donations were from individuals in Bonner and Boundary counties, records show.

Cindy Marx, a Bonner County Democrat competing against Wheeler, gathered $3,143 during her campaign. The Bonner County Democrat Central Committee kicked in $1,000, while Collin Beggs, Susan Drumheller and Steve Meyer each donated $500 to Max's campaign, secretary of state records show.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com or followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.