Campaign filings show fundraising lopsided in Utah

GOP Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has spent a whole lot of campaign cash. His Democratic challenger, Bob Springmeyer, hasn't, the latest campaign financial filings show.

Republican Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who may need extra money this year as he literally is hobbled in his personal campaigning efforts following serious leg surgery, has been raising and spending big chunks of campaign money, too.

And there are few financially competitive legislative races so far in 2008, with one Senate or House candidate raising much more money than his competition, a Deseret News analysis of the latest filings shows.

Filings had to meet a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline in the state elections office, or the tardy candidate could have his name removed from November's ballot. Those who didn't file, and are probably out of their races, are: Robert Armstrong, a Constitution Party candidate in Senate District 27; Melvin Robinson, a Democrat in House District 18; and Ted Heap, a state school board candidate in District 11.

Huntsman has raised $447,130 so far in 2008, spent $394,066 and has $55,898 in cash. That isn't a lot of cash for a governor's re-election bid with only two months before Election Day. And Huntsman has drained his own PAC. In fact, this year alone, Huntsman has transferred $224,629 from his PAC to his campaign account, leaving just over $7,000 in his PAC.

But Huntsman has proven himself a more-than-adequate fundraiser in the past. Greg Hartley, Huntsman's campaign manager, said the governor plans on spending between $800,000 and $900,000 this year on his re-election.

Springmeyer, trailing Huntsman badly in the public opinion polls, has $15,323 in cash. Springmeyer was in Denver last week at the Democratic National Convention making contacts he hopes will result in some campaign cash before November's election.

"We have just enough money to make our first media buy," Springmeyer said Tuesday. Overall, he's raised $45,400 and spent $32,778 — numbers that pale next to Huntsman's. "But we're doing well, we're moving along," said Springmeyer.

Shurtleff has raised $346,409 this year and spent $387,204. He has $241,469 in cash. His Democratic opponent, Jean Welch Hill, has raised $45,339, spent $29,312, and has only $16,026 in cash, or just 6.6 percent of what Shurtleff has.

Five different groups gave donations of $20,000 each to Shurtleff during the last reporting period. They were: Siegfried & Jensen (a law firm); 1-800-CONTACTS (which sells contact lenses); USANA (which makes dietary supplements); Pre-Paid Legal Services of Ada, Okla.; and The Tax Club of New York City.