Julie Fedorchak (R-N.D.)
BY: MICHAEL ACHTERLING
BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – Two Republican candidates seeking North Dakota’s U.S. House seat gave themselves sizable loans in a race that has five competing in the June primary, financial reports filed Monday show.
Former state Republican lawmaker Rick Becker reported a quarterly fundraising total of over $828,000, but that includes $550,000 that he loaned his campaign, according to FEC filings. Becker finished the reporting period with nearly $797,000 in cash on hand, including the loan.
NDGOP-endorsed House candidate Alex Balazs, meanwhile, reported loaning his own campaign more than $105,000 during the first quarter. He ended the reporting period with $96,000 in cash on hand.
Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak posted a nearly $449,000 fundraising haul during the first quarter, according to FEC filings. Her contributions consisted of more than $300,000 coming from individual donors and nearly $146,000 coming from political action committee donations to her campaign.
Fedorchak reported having nearly $412,000 cash on hand at the end of the first quarter filing period.
At the time of publication, Republican candidate Cara Mund had not yet filed a quarterly financial report with the FEC. However, during her 2022 campaign as an independent candidate for the U.S. House, she raised nearly $173,000 over the entire election cycle. Her 2022 campaign still shows more than $16,000 in cash on hand.
Mund entered the U.S. House race on April 8 after turning in her signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Also late entering the House race was Williston woman Sharlet Mohr. She had yet to report her quarterly financial statements to the FEC as of late afternoon. Candidates had until midnight Monday to file reports.
Becker said in a statement that his first quarter fundraising is evidence that North Dakota voters want to “take America back.”
“This incredible support from the people of North Dakota is a testament to our shared vision for a more prosperous future and a more accountable government,” Becker said.
Fedorchak’s campaign highlighted that its fundraising total was only from the last 45 days, since she launched her campaign in mid-February.
“Having people put their hard earned money behind your campaign is a strong message that they believe in your vision and ability to achieve it,” Fedorchak said in a statement.
Fundraising filings available Monday also showed North Dakota Democrats reporting strong numbers for the Republican-dominated state.
Democratic-NPL U.S. House candidate Trygve Hammer raised more than $258,000 during the first three months of 2024, according to FEC filings. The total is the largest amount raised by a Dem-NPL candidate running for U.S. House in nearly 20 years, according to a campaign news release.
Hammer also reported having more than $133,000 in cash on hand at the end of the federal quarterly filing period.
Dem-NPL candidate Roland Riemers had not filed a quarterly financial report with the FEC as of late afternoon.
Dem-NPL U.S. Senate candidate Katrina Christiansen raised more than $279,000 during the first quarter, bringing her total raised to about $463,000 for the entire campaign, according to FEC filings. She also reported having about $75,000 in cash on hand.
Christiansen’s campaign highlighted that the fundraising came from nearly 11,700 individual donations that averaged $32.79 per donation.
North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer reported a first quarter fundraising total of more than $626,000, which included about $445,000 in individual donations and $180,500 in PAC contributions to his campaign. He finished the quarter with $2.85 million in cash on hand.
During the last quarter of 2023, Cramer raised more than $607,000 with $467,000 coming from individual donations and $140,000 coming from PAC contributions to his campaign.
Comments