Second-quarter campaign finance reports for Wyoming’s GOP primary House race are in, and four candidates have loaned themselves more than $1 million each.
Steve Friess has amassed the largest war chest with $2.5 million, which includes a $2 million self-loan. Reid Rasner is second, loaning himself $1.7 million out of $2 million, while two others, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Teton-County-based attorney Frank Chapman, also hit above the $1 million mark with self-funding.
Those four will face off against six other Republican contenders for the GOP nomination in Wyoming's Aug. 18 primary election in the hopes of winning the state's lone U.S. House race soon being vacated by Rep. Harriet Hageman.
Friess has “invested $2 million of his own money in the effort,” as his Wednesday statement describes the self-loan.
That puts Friess’s principal campaign committee Friess For Wyoming at nearly $2.2 million after another $92,361 in other contributions and $81,136 in transfers from other authorized committees.
While U.S. Federal Election Commission reports for the second quarter surfaced this week, Friess’s financial lead is more notable because he declared his run later than most candidates in April.
Recognizable names appear in Friess’s donations receipts, such as National Museum of Military Vehicles founder Dan Starks and major University of Wyoming donors John “Jay” and Karen Kemmerer.
The joint fundraising committee Friess Wyoming Victory Fund also raises money for the Friess campaign and has logged $363,626 in receipts, all from individuals.
Those include conservative media giant Tucker Carlson, Turning Point USA board member Doug DeGroote, and Friess’s mother Lynne.
Friess’s principal committee has $606,907 cash on hand — the most of any candidate.
He’s spent about $1.49 million so far.
Friess's spokesman Tim Edson noted that within the past three months, Friess has outraised all opponents combined.
"Republicans are rallying around Steve because they want a political outsider and businessman who can't be bought," wrote Edson in a Friday text message. "With a month to go, Steve has the money and the momentum — he's now tied for the lead and poised to overtake Chuck Gray and win this race."
Next Up, Reid
For total receipts, Rasner is second at nearly $2.044 million for his primary committee, Reid Rasner for Wyoming.
That includes a nearly $1.71 million self-loan and $328,762 in other contributions.
Rasner’s committee’s ending cash on hand is $81,017.78, and he’s spent nearly $2 million.
His campaign did not return a Thursday text message request for comment by publication.
Chuck Gray
Gray’s committee Citizens for Chuck Gray has logged $1,378,842 in receipts, including $230,936 in contributions and a $1.147 million self-loan.
He’s spent about $852,365 so far.
Gray’s individual receipts show giving by Drake Hill, who is a Cheyenne-based attorney and husband to former Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill; Gray’s father Jan Charles Gray; and Gore-Tex heiress Susan Gore, among others.
Gray told Cowboy State Daily in a Thursday text message that his campaign is “in the lead, is gaining momentum and remains in a strong financial position.”
“Thank you to the people of Wyoming for your support,” wrote Gray, who said he has a proven track record of advancing Wyoming values “and will continue that work as a member of Congress.”
He added a critique that surfaces in many of his public statements against the media and an undefined group of “insiders.”
“That track record is why our campaign is in the lead, and it’s why the leftwing media and the insiders continue to attack me,” wrote Gray.
The PAC Protecting Wyoming Values dispatches mailers regularly in Gray’s favor. Its receipts total $657,009, all contributions from Gray’s father.
Gray’s committee’s cash on hand nearly rivals Friess’, at $526,476.60.
To Matt Micheli, a longtime politico and former chair of the Wyoming Republican Party, Gray’s name recognition and Friess’s momentum are honing the race.
Micheli donated money to another contender, Senate President Bo Biteman, but has since endorsed Friess.
“Listen, money matters in elections, and you need to have enough money to get your message out to voters,” Micheli said Thursday. “We’re at the point now people are starting to pay attention.”
Micheli added, “Right now, I see it as a two-person race. I think it really comes down to Steve Friess or Chuck Gray. They’re the two candidates right now that have a chance of winning this race.”
Chapman
Chapman told Cowboy State Daily he believes his campaign is doing “very well finance-wise in the race.”
“You’ve got four main, you know, candidates that have gone out and raised money or contributed money to make themselves viable in responsible campaigns,” said Chapman, listing himself among Friess, Gray and Rasner.
His main campaign committee Chapman for Congress lists just over $1.09 million in receipts with $31,622.89 in contributions and a $1.06 million self-loan.
Chapman’s cash on hand notation tallies $495,161.33 — the third most after Friess and Gray. He’s spent at least $596,462.50 from his principal committee, says the FEC.
Chapman noted that independent political action committees (PACs) may also play a huge role in the race.
Miami billionaire Ken Griffin has dropped $2.5 million into the super-PAC Fighting For Wyoming, which has touted Chapman as “a conservative rancher ready to fight with President Trump for the people of Wyoming.”
Chapman said strategy is also important.
“When you’re running a campaign, a responsible candidate will buy the last three weeks (of TV ads) three months out,” said Chapman, adding that his campaign did that for prominent Wyoming TV channels. He also spoke of going to forums and gaining momentum in the field.
David Giralt
The other six candidates in this 10-way primary election are Biteman, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, military veterans David Giralt and Kevin Christensen, former lawmaker Keith Goodenough and Richard Dodson.
Giralt has raised at least $184,529.88, including one $64,691.48 self-loan, and spent $31,449, the FEC says.
He narrowly outpaced Balow for that fifth-place earner slot.
He said he’s honored to have donations and support from members of Congress, but more humbled when he’s out door-knocking and a Wyomingite “decides to wrap a contribution check for $50 in an envelope and send us on our way with it.”
“As someone who’s new to politics I’m very proud of the work, the momentum we’ve been able to build,” he said.
Giralt said he was out knocking doors during his Friday phone interview.
“As someone starting on this journey as a bit of an outsider I’m just very humbled to out-fundraise people who’ve been in the political realm for years or even decades, for some,” he said, adding that people’s giving is more touching since he started out his campaign as “a long shot.”
Jillian Balow
Balow’s primary campaign committee Jillian Balow for Wyoming has raised $166.451.09 as of the July FEC filing deadline. That includes $41,449 in individual contributions and $125,000 of her own money.
The FEC shows her at $124,051 cash on hand and $42,399.75 in expenses as of the July report cutoff.
“I’m incredibly proud of the groundswell of support that is providing my campaign with the critical resources I need to connect with undecided voters,” said Balow in a Thursday text message. “I’m the only candidate in the House race with Wyoming roots, a conservative record as a leader, and the tenacity to fight hard and win for Wyoming.”
Balow added, “Slick television ads and endless family wealth will not win this race. Shoe leather and grit will.”
Both Balow and Biteman have garnered donations from multiple former state lawmakers.
Bo Biteman
Biteman promised this year that he would not declare for higher office at least until the legislative session was over, saying he wanted to focus on leading the Senate rather than campaigning.
As a result, he declared his run later than Rasner and Gray, but still a few days earlier than Friess.
He’s raised $94,342.45 as of his second-quarter FEC report, nearly all donations from individuals.
The FEC lists his cash on hand at $20,407.69 and his expenditures at nearly $74,000.
“We also have a number of outstanding donor commitments that were made after the close of the reporting period or have not yet been received, so this report doesn’t reflect all the support behind our campaign,” said Biteman in a Thursday text message.
He said his campaign has been disciplined with its spending out of respect for the donors who “expect us to be good stewards of every dollar.”
“I’d rather be known for running an efficient campaign than an expensive one,” Biteman said. “Every dollar we save today is another dollar we can invest in reaching voters when it matters most.
"Campaigns aren’t built to accumulate cash — they’re built to communicate with voters and earn support, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Biteman said many donors are watching to see how the crowded primary contest develops before making larger commitments, but said his campaign is budling support across Wyoming, adding volunteers and meeting with voters every day.
“I feel very good about where this campaign is headed because we have the experience, the record, and the grassroots support to win,” he said.
At a Wednesday morning coffee gathering in Riverton, Biteman had quipped at the incongruity of some candidates spending more than $2 million to win a nearly $180,000 a year job.
“That was simply to say that public service should be about serving the people, not building a career in politics,” said Biteman.
He said he prefers to deliver his message in person, “not through a $125,000 mailer or a late night Roku ad buy, as most Wyomingites don’t want to believe that this election can be outright bought or that the voters can be enticed by shiny objects over proven, consistent and effective leadership.”
Kevin Christensen
The Christensen campaign has raised $13,258.21. That’s $10,258.21 in contributions and $3,000 of Christensen’s money.
The FEC lists him as having $4,573.98 cash on hand.
Christensen acknowledged in a Thursday phone interview that he can’t match many others’ fundraising.
“I’m going off of, you know, people that know me and people who are Wyoming residents. I haven’t accepted any PAC money,” he said. “But you know for value on the dollar, I’m doing very well for the amount of money I’m bringing in.”
Christensen said he believes is campaign is gaining momentum, and he’s looking forward to proving it.
FEC reports for Dodson and Goodenough were not publicly available as of publication time.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
