Cheney leads fundraising race in Wyoming, Park County

Posted 11/14/13

Recently released reports from the Federal Election Commission analyzed by the Powell Tribune show that from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, Cheney raised roughly $270,000 from about 260 Wyoming residents, while Enzi raised about $116,000 from some 600 state …

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Cheney leads fundraising race in Wyoming, Park County

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With a smaller base of more generous donors, U.S. Senate hopeful Liz Cheney is raising about $2.33 for every $1 collected by Sen. Mike Enzi in Wyoming.

Recently released reports from the Federal Election Commission analyzed by the Powell Tribune show that from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, Cheney raised roughly $270,000 from about 260 Wyoming residents, while Enzi raised about $116,000 from some 600 state residents.

It means the average Cheney donor in Wyoming has contributed nearly $1,050 to the former State Department official, while the average Enzi donor has given not quite $200 to the three-time incumbent.

It’s been a similar story in Park County so far: Cheney has raised $15,175 from 24 donors while Enzi has raised $9,440 from 42 contributors, the records analyzed by the Tribune show.

However, the numbers in Park County — and even Wyoming as a whole — are only a small part of the fundraising battle in the highly hyped race.

A Huffington Post headline earlier this month summarized the two Republicans’ fundraising reports this way: “Liz Cheney, Mike Enzi Running For Wyoming Senate With Little Support From Wyoming.”

Cheney’s Wyoming haul represents only about a quarter of the $1.02 million she raised after announcing her campaign in July through September. The other 75 percent of Cheney’s money generally came from nearly 1,900 other individuals across the United States.

Enzi’s contributions from Wyoming donors comprise an even smaller share — not quite 10 percent — of the $1.18 million he raised from January to September.

Around $900,000 — about 75 percent — of Enzi’s contributions came from a mix of 272 different political action committees representing entities such as corporations, industries or Republican organizations. Another $171,022 came from 145 out-of-state residents, the Tribune’s analysis shows.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney’s father, panned Enzi’s fundraising splits last month during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”

“He (Enzi) doesn’t get much money from Wyoming,” Dick Cheney told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos Oct. 27.

But if there’s consolation for Enzi, it’s that he’s been getting money from more Wyoming people in the early goings of the race.

In addition to having more than twice as many Wyoming donors as Cheney, they made up a larger percentage of his contributors. Around 600 of the roughly 1,000 individuals and entities contributing to Enzi’s campaign (59 percent) live in Wyoming, while roughly 260 of 2,150 of Cheney’s donors (12 percent) are from the state.

Here in Powell, a baker’s dozen of Enzi supporters have contributed $1,875 to his re-election effort. Cheney, meanwhile, reported five donations from Powell totaling $450 — including $250 from Larry French, who serves as the Park County Republican Party chairman.

Other standouts among the list of Park County donors include Paul and Judy Cali, Cody residents who are leading Cheney’s campaign in Park County. The couple has so far contributed $5,700 to Cheney’s Senate bid.

On the other side of the race, former Sen. Al Simpson and his wife Ann, Cody residents and honorary of chairs of Enzi’s overall campaign, have given $5,200 to his bid for re-election.

Jodi and Marc Thompson of Cody are spearheading Enzi’s campaign in Park County. Enzi has also named another 28 county residents to a more than 350-member campaign team, including state Rep. David Northrup, R-Powell, and Tribune Publisher Dave Bonner.

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