Richardson, Lujan help Cote raise cash, but Marquardt has hefty bank account, spends more

Campaign finance reports submitted Monday in most of the local races are not yet on the secretary of state’s Web site, but I can get started by reporting on those that are already posted.

In the House District 53 race:

Republican incumbent Terry Marquardt began the reporting period with $28,542 in the bank. He raised $12,890 and spent $25,248, leaving him with $16,184 in the bank.

The majority of contributions to Marquardt came from various political action committees and corporations, including $750 each from a PNM PAC and a smokeless tobacco company. His campaign donated more than $8,000 to other Republican candidates, including several state representative candidates. Marquardt is in a tough battle within his own party for minority floor leader.

Democratic challenger Nate Cote started the reporting period with $3,307 in the bank. He raised $8,775 and spent $3,312, leaving him with $3,770 in the bank.

Cote also received in-kind contributions of $7,872 – $5,300 from Gov. Bill Richardson’s re-election campaign and $2,572 from New Mexico Democratic Legislative Campaign.

Cote’s contributions included $1,400 from Speaker of the House Ben Lujan and $5,000 from various labor groups.

In the County Commission District 3 race:

Democrat Karen Perez started the reporting period with $1,850 in the bank. She raised $6,761 and spent $5,514, leaving her with $3,097 in the bank.

Perez had 11 anonymous contributions totaling $926. Her largest contribution of $250 came from Las Cruces psychologist Dario Silva.

Republican Mack Haley started the reporting period with $4,942 in the bank. He raised $5,555 and spent $5,607, leaving him with $4,890 in the bank.

Haley’s contributions included $1,000 from the Committee to Elect Paul Curry, the current District 3 commissioner who is not seeking re-election, and a $750 gift from engineer Jerry Paz.

In the District Judge Division 5 race:

Republican Janetta Hicks raised $7,659 and spent $3,947, leaving her with $3,712 in the bank. She loaned her campaign $2,500 and had in-kind contributions totaling $1,225, many coming from employees of the district attorney’s office, where Hicks is a senior deputy district attorney.

Hicks had a $200 gift from retired District Judge Jim Martin, a Democrat.

Democrat Lisa Schultz raised $5,686 and spent $3,066, leaving her with $2,620 in the bank. She loaned her campaign $1,400 and had in-kind contributions of $400.

State Rep. Joni Gutierrez, D-Las Cruces, gave Schultz $500, and Magistrate Judge Oscar Frietze gave $100. She had two anonymous contributions totaling $71.

An earlier version of this posting incorrectly stated that Marquardt, not Cote, received contributions from Lujan and labor groups.

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