All four Republican candidates in the Aug. 2 Republican Primary for the State Senate District 18 seat now have some of their own skin in the game whether through self-funding contributions or self-endorsing loans to their campaigns.

Republican Senate candidate Tony Allers made routine amendments to his 1Q and 2Q reports on Jul. 25. The only detectable substantive dollar change was the reduction of an originally reported $1,000 contribution to $100 in 2Q. The net effect lowered his 2Q ending balance by $900.

Thus, Allers reported entering the PrePrimary with a reported starting balance of $5,999.21, $900 lower than originally believed to be his cash position. He received $750 with $200 of that itemized from Vicki LouAllen and he disbursed $6,739.91, leaving a balance of $9.30. He has a loan outstanding from himself of $2,000.

Republican Senate candidate Jeff Coker reported opening with $9,746.29 and receiving $2,040 in contributions plus three skin-in-the-game loans from himself aggregating to $11,245.42 for total receipts of $13,285.42. After spending $20,889.65, he closed with $2,142.06 on hand.

After running a very aggressive ground game and stirring up issues including taking local per diem, Coker has added mailings and other media to the mix for his end game.

Former interim Republican Senator and candidate Ferrell Haile’s campaign amended his Jul. 10 2Q report on Jul. 26. Compared to the previously downloaded and saved Excel copy of the original report, Haile’s amended 2Q reflected an additional $100 in expenditure to a campaign worker and a corresponding reduction in ending balance for 2Q of $100 to close at $87,903.35. Offset by $8,078.56 of obligations outstanding, his campaign entered the PrePrimary with $79,824.79 in uncommitted funding.

His PrePrimary disclosure opened with $87,903.35 and took in contributions of $27,550 with $1,300 earmarked for the general. PACs continued to back him and 10 of the 20 Senate Republicans chipped in at least $500 each for the period with one giving $2,000, maxing out $1,400 for the primary with the remaining $600 allocated to the general.

After expenditures of $88,352.19 and disbursements of $96,310.74, Haile’s ending balance was $19,142.61. Of that, obligations outstanding are $5,421.99, leaving $13,720.62 of uncommitted funds, leaving his skin in the game. A loan from himself of $20,000 was still outstanding. All outstanding obligations carried over from the prior period were paid except $120.01 owed to the candidate, putting a bit more skin in it. In addition, he self-funded $5,000 on Dec. 20.

SD18 Republican candidate Brock Ewell of Portland reported opening his PrePrimary with $1, reported two contributions from himself totaling $345.31 and spending the same, leaving a $1 balance. To date, he has reported self-funding of $624.64 on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Unopposed Democratic SD18 candidate Maria Brewer reported that she started with $2,659.37, receiving $905 and spending $893.17, keeping $2,671.20 of her powder dry. Notably, Gallatin Councilman Steve Camp contributed $250. Brewer also received $1,425 of in-kind contributions.

By Jesse Hughes