(C) Daily Montanan This story was originally published by Daily Montanan and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Campaign finance reports show where federal candidates stand ahead of Montana primary • Daily Montanan [1] ['Blair Miller', 'Darrell Ehrlick', 'Ariana Figueroa', 'More From Author', '- May', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar'] Date: 2024-05-28 Several Republicans in the crowded field for the eastern congressional district seat continue to lend their campaigns significant money in the final push to secure a spot on November’s ballot, while Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester continues his breakneck fundraising in his effort to win re-election to the Senate for a fourth term, according to pre-primary federal campaign finance reports about a week before Montana’s primary election next Tuesday. Federal candidates in Montana must file a pre-primary fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission that covers their fundraising and spending for their campaign committees that covers April 1 through May 15, then file 24- or 48-hour fundraising reports in the weeks leading up to the primary. The filings give Montanans one final look into how the campaigns are doing financially heading into what will for some candidates be the end of their campaigns and how the bank accounts of next Tuesday’s primary winners shape up heading into the five months that precede Election Day in November. U.S. Senate Tester, the three-term Democratic senator from Big Sandy, will not face a primary challenger but continues to be one of the biggest fundraisers of this cycle as he gears up for another challenge in a state where he is the only statewide elected Democrat. Tester brought in another $4.1 million over the six-week period, bringing his total fundraising for the cycle to $34 million. He spent about $4.9 million from April 1 to May 15 and ended the period with about $11.8 million in cash on hand. Republican Tim Sheehy, who is Tester’s likely opponent in November barring a large upset next week, reported raising about $2.1 million over the six weeks, including another $600,000 loan he gave his campaign. He’s now raised about $10 million during the cycle, including more than $2 million he has loaned his campaign. Sheehy reported spending $1.8 million over the six-week period, which he ended with about $2.2 million in cash. Sheehy’s Republican primary opponent, former Public Service Commissioner Brad Johnson, raised a little more than $4,000 during the six weeks, spent about $4,000, and ended the reporting period with about $3,200 in cash. Eastern Congressional District The 2nd Congressional District race for U.S. Rep Matt Rosendale’s seat is the most crowded of any primary in 2024, with eight Republicans and four Democrats running in their respective primaries in a district Rosendale won by more than 70,000 votes two years ago. The Republican race continues to see some of the most recognizable Republicans lend their campaigns significant amounts of money in the final weeks before the primary. Troy Downing, currently the state auditor, continues to lead the Republicans in fundraising, but also continues to loan his campaign money. Downing reported raising $863,000 from April 1 to May 15, but $700,000 of that came from another loan to his campaign. He has now loaned his campaign more than $1 million so far this cycle. Downing reported spending $753,000 and ended the period with $435,000 cash on hand – far more than any of his Republican competitors. Former Congressman Denny Rehberg raised the second most among Republicans during the six-week period, bringing in about $222,000, though that includes a $150,000 loan he gave his campaign. Rehberg reported spending $146,000 on the campaign and paid back $300,000 worth of loans he’d given his campaign and ended the period with about $148,000 in cash on hand. Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen reported raising $72,000, but that included another loan of $50,000 to her campaign. She has now loaned her campaign $750,000 for the cycle. Arntzen spent $374,000 during the period, which she ended with a little more than $66,000 in cash. Former DEA agent Stacy Zinn brought in just under $15,000 during the period and spent around $900, leaving her with about $38,000 in cash heading into the final weeks before the primary. Miles City State Sen. Ken Bogner raised about $15,000, spent about $14,000, and ended the six-week period with about $11,000 in cash on hand. Attorney Joel Krautter raised about $12,000 during the period and spent about twice that. He ended the period with about $9,400 in cash. Former State Sen. Ric Holden raised about $8,500 during the period, spent about $18,000, and ended mid-May with about $2,700 in cash. Republican candidate Kyle Austin again did not file a fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission, and Ed Walker, who suspended his campaign earlier this year, reported he was in the process of refunding donations and had stopped raising money. In the Democratic primary, Broadus’ Steve Held raised and spent the most during the six-week period. He reported $40,000 in money raised, including a $15,000 loan to his campaign. He also reported about $60,000 in expenditures and ended the period with $18,000 in cash. Kev Hamm, of Helena, raised $10,000 during the period and spent about $8,000, leaving him with $5,000 in cash as of mid-May. Billings’ Ming Cabrera reported raising about $4,000 during the period, spent about $6,700 and ended the period with around $18,000 in cash. John Driscoll did not report any fundraising to the FEC. Western Congressional District Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican, continues to far outpace both his Republican primary opponent and the Democrat whom he is highly likely to face in November in the race for Montana’s western congressional district seat. He raised about $683,000 from April 1 to May 15 and spent about $493,000, leaving him with about $2.5 million in cash heading into the final weeks before the primary. His Republican challenger, Mary Todd, brought in about $12,600 during the period, which includes a $5,300 loan she gave to her campaign. She reported spending about $26,000 and ended mid-May with about $20,000 in cash for the final weeks of the primary. Democrat Monica Tranel, who does not have a primary opponent, reported raising $384,000 during the six weeks and spending about $216,000. She ended the period with about $1.5 million in cash on hand. Libertarian candidates Dennis Hays and Ernie Noble did not report any fundraising to the FEC. Absentee ballots went out to voters on May 10. As of Monday night, according to the Secretary of State’s Office, about 26% of the 447,000 ballots that were sent out had been returned. Voters who received absentee ballots but who have not voted yet are advised to drop their ballots off at their local election office to ensure it is received on time by next Tuesday’s deadline. People also have a chance still to register to vote and to vote at polling places next Tuesday. 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