CAMPAIGN FINANCE: Local GOP candidates for state office raise more, spend less than Democrats since primary

Republican candidates who are seeking to represent Bartholomew County in the state legislature have outraised their Democratic opponents in the Nov. 8 midterm election, according to campaign finance disclosures.

However, the two incumbent candidates — Rep. Ryan Lauer, R-Columbus, and Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus — have collectively spent less money than their Democratic challengers Ross Thomas and Bryan Munoz since the May 3 primary.

Lauer, for his part, reported $54,298 in itemized contributions for his re-election bid for Indiana House District 59, according to filings with the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office that were current as Oct. 14.

Lauer’s campaign also reported spending $60,532 this election cycle, though all but $4,095 of that was spent on or before the primary, state records show. Lauer faced a primary challenge from long-time Bartholomew County Prosecutor Bill Nash this past spring.

By comparison, Thomas, who is challenging Lauer in the general election, reported $22,106 in contributions during this election cycle, but the lion’s share of his campaign’s expenditures — $6,766 of $8,681 of his total spending — has come after the primary. Thomas ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Walker, who is seeking a fifth term representing Indiana Senate District 41, reported $13,950 in contributions this election cycle and $10,990 in spending — including $9,750 in contributions his campaign made to local Republican parties, other GOP candidates and organizations, rather than expenses directly associated with his re-election campaign, state records show.

Munoz, who is challenging Walker in the general election, reported raising $11,755 and spending $11,023 during the current election cycle, campaign finance disclosures show. All but $1,817 of his expenditures were made on or after primary election day.

House District 59 race

During this election cycle, Lauer’s campaign reported $23,900 in contributions from 20 political action committees, also known as PACs, according to state records.

The largest PAC contribution that Lauer’s campaign reported this election cycle came from the Indiana Realtors Political Action Committee, contributing $10,000 on March 30, according to state records. Lauer also received $1,000 from the Indiana Multi-Family Housing PAC, which is associated with the Indiana Apartment Association.

Lauer’s campaign committee also reported $3,000 in contributions this election cycle from Hoosiers for a Quality Education Political Action Committee, which has advocated for state vouchers that allow certain families to send their children to private schools at taxpayers’ expense, according to filings with the Internal Revenue Service.

In addition, Lauer’s campaign reported $1,000 contributions from Indiana Firefighters PAC, Indiana BANKPAC, Build Indiana Political Action Committee, as well as $500 contributions from Beer Industry Political Action Committee, Duke Energy Corporation PAC, Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers and Indiana Title Political Action Committee.

The Cummins Inc. Political Action Committee, AT&T Indiana Political Action Committee, Citizens for Better Roads, ICE Miller PAC, Indiana Builders Political Action Committee, Indiana Fraternal Order of Police Political Action Committee, Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Political Action Committee and Taft Stettinius & Hollister Better Government Fund have each made $300 contributions to Lauer’s campaign this election cycle.

Lauer also filed a “large contribution report” on Oct. 24 to report a $1,500 contribution from Lawyers PAC of Indiana.

Almost all of Lauer’s expenditures this election cycle — $55,407 of $60,532 total expenditures — have been for costs related to advertising, according to campaign finance disclosures. Since winning the GOP nomination in the primary, Lauer has spent $4,095 of his campaign funds, including $1,706 on expenses related to events and $1,500 on a billboard ad.

Thomas did not report any contributions from PACs, according to campaign finance reports. However, he did report $2,000 in contributions from the Bartholomew County Democratic Party and $410 from Bartholomew County Democratic Women.

In addition, $10,818 of the $22,106 in contributions that Thomas reported were listed as non-itemized, meaning that it is unclear precisely who contributed the money, campaign finance reports show.

In terms of spending, Thomas reported $5,386 in expenditures on advertising-related costs during this election cycle, including printed material, a website, bumper stickers, signs an email campaign, among other things, state records show.

Senate District 41 race

About 80% of all the money that Walker raised this election cycle came from PACs, according to campaign finance records. As of Oct. 14, Walker had reported $11,150 in contributions from 20 PACs, including $2,500 from the Indiana Realtors Political Action Committee and $1,000 each from the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police Political Action Plan, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and Indiana BANKPAC.

In addition, Walker reported contributions from Greg Pence for Congress, the Indiana Multi-Family Housing Political Action Committee, Indiana Friends of Rural Electrification, Beer Industry PAC, Cummins Inc. Political Action Committee, Duke Energy Corp. PAC, Indiana Pharmacists Action Committee, among others.

The biggest recipient of Walker’s campaign funds this election cycle was the Johnson County Republican Party, which received $4,125 from the four-term state senator’s campaign, according to state records. The Bartholomew County Republican Party also received $2,600 from Walker’s campaign.

Walker also made $2,000 contribution to Clarity of South Central Indiana, $175 to Bartholomew County Right to Life, $200 to Lauer’s campaign and $600 to GOP nominee for Bartholomew County Sheriff Chris Lane, who is running unopposed in the general election. state reocrds show.

Nearly half of all them money that Munoz reported raising — around $5,418 — came from ActBlue, an online fundraising platform for Democartic and progressive candidates.

Munoz also reported around $2,488 in contributions from the Bartholomew County Democratic Party and $1,000 from the Indiana Political Action Committee for Education, or I-PACE, which is the political action division of the Indiana State Teachers Association.

In terms of spending, Munoz reported $7,049 on costs related to advertising, including $3,325 on T-shirts. Munoz also reported about $596 at the Penn and Beech Candle Company, which, in once instance, he listed as give-away candles.