BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle
State Sen. Derek Schmidt, who also serves as the Senate Majority Leader, carries the largest campaign war chest among area legislators, even though the Independence Republican is unopposed in his re-election bid.
All candidates for county, state and federal offices were required to submit campaign expenditure and contribution reports on July 28. Those reports are made public through the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.
According to the reports, Schmidt had $149,332.84 in cash during the reporting period (Jan. 1 through July 24, 2008) and spent $19,240.50 in that period, leaving him with $130,082.34 by July 24.
The bulk of Schmidt’s war chest was carried over from the previous year, the report showed. The senator had $140,664.70 on hand when the reporting period began on Jan. 1.
Schmidt is seeking his third four-year term as state senator. He was unopposed in his re-election bid in 2004.
In the hotly-contested race for the Kansas Senate, 14th District, State Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer, carried over $42,882 from previous campaigns, added $41,665.00 in contributions, and spent $27,041.88 during the reporting period. That left him with $57,445.98 to spend on the Aug. 5 primary election, which he won with a 65-35 percent victory over Republican challenger Iris VanMeter of Thayer.
Umbarger will face the Democrat party opponent, David L. Miller of Parsons, in the Nov. 4 general election.
VanMeter received $20,392 in contributions during the reporting period and spent $9,968.33, leaving her with $10,423.67 on July 24.
Miller collected $1,495 in contributions during the report period and spent $1,351.57, leaving him with $143.43 in his campaign fund.
Campaign information for State Rep. Jeff King, R-Independence, and State Rep. Virgil Peck, R-Tyro, as well as their opponents — Sandra Frisco of Independence and Virgil Horn of Coffeyville, were also disclosed by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. However, the four candidates were uncontested in their Aug. 5 primary election nominations and will advance to the Nov. 4 general election.
King will face Frisco in the race for the 12th District while Peck will face a challenge from Horn for the 11th district seat.
King had $19,391 on hand at the start of the reporting period and received an additional $8,983.01, giving him $28,374.12. He spent $4,490.92, which resulted in $23,883.20 available as of July 24.
Peck had carried over $12,788.70 into the election cycle and received an additional $6,501. That resulted in $19,289.70 in his campaign fund. He spent $4,227.86, giving him $15,011.84 cash on hand at the close of the reporting period.
Frisco received $765 in contributions during the reporting period and listed her campaign expenditures at $531.61, leaving her with $233.29 at the close of the reporting period.
Horn had collected $1,726.04 in contributions and spent $145.10, leaving him with $1,580.94 as of July 24.
Contributions to political campaigns come from a variety of sources, including individuals, businesses, political action committees, unions, lobbyists and political party central committees.
Contributions typically are in the $100 to $1,000 range.
Another reporting period is set for July 25 through Oct. 25, 2008.
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To view the campaign expenditure reports of area candidates, log on to www.kansas.gov/ethics. Then click on “Campaign Finance,” followed by “View Submitted Forms and Reports.” Once there, look at the “Receipts and Expenditures 200807” of any candidate for state office.
