Web posted
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Outside money reaches State Senate race
By DAVID A. SEATON
The Traveler
Money has poured into the local state Senate race - much of it from outside sources - as the candidates slug it out for voters Nov. 2.
Greta Goodwin, the Democratic Senator from Winfield, collected the largest amount of any candidate - nearly $25,000 during the last reporting period between July 23 and Oct. 21.
She spent about half that amount and had $15,560 left for the campaign's final two weeks, financial statements show.
Her challenger, Republican Ray La Boeuf of Belle Plaine, detailed $17,280 in donations and $13,894 in expenses.
The money from both candidates is being spent on a flurry of campaign advertisements during the final election push.
La Boeuf, a fiscal and social conservative, said he expects to be outspent as the challenger.
"I don't think I'm going to be really at a disadvantage on that," he said Wednesday. "I think we got my message out there, and I think people have responded to it."
Nearly half of his contributions came from Republican party organizations, including $4,500 from the Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee and $1,500 from Sedgwick County Republican sources.
The Boeing employee also collected $1,000 from the Heart Political Action Committee in Wichita. That group is headed by U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, according to the Kansas Secretary of State's office.
La Boeuf also received more than $1,700 of in-kind contributions from the First Intermark Corp. in Arkansas City, and its co-owner Diana Kelley.
La Boeuf, however, reported more donations from individual residents in the 32nd Senate District than Goodwin, who collected most of her war chest from political action committees
Arlene Johnson of rural Arkansas City was invited to a dinner for La Boeuf. She liked what she heard and gave him $400.
"The biggest thing is that he's a supporter of life. He supports Christian values," said Johnson, who is listed as a homemaker on the contribution reports.
About 75 percent of Goodwin's donations came from political action committees representing a broad swath of interests, including beef producers, dentists, accountants, environmentalists and gaming owners.
"I have been amazed at who has sent me money," Goodwin said Thursday. "Most of these are unsolicited. Almost without exception a note has been enclosed that says, 'we need you back for good public policy for Kansas'."
Goodwin is locked into a contentious campaign with La Boeuf, who has gone after the incumbent for voting to increase taxes and not helping to constitutionally ban gay marriage in Kansas.
Harrah's Operating Co. gave Goodwin $500. She said they like her support of not expanding gaming in Kansas because it protects their existing gaming interests.
She also received money from Phillip Morris USA ($250) and Anheuser-Bush Co. ($500), despite voting to increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, she said. Both companies are represented by lobbyists in Topeka who are friends of hers and strong supporters of the Democratic Party, Goodwin explained.
"They promote good public policy for the state," she said.
Goodwin also received $300 from Frederick Seaton, owner and publisher of the Winfield Publishing Co., which owns The Traveler and The Courier.
Both candidates have also received outside help from groups.
American's for Prosperity-Kansas mailed fliers worth $7,500 to $9,000 touting La Boeuf's anti-tax positions. That group is not a registered political committee and is not required to disclose is funding sources
Goodwin said Friday that a group called Kansans for a Moderate Government had mailed a flier telling voters that Goodwin supports quality education in Kansas.
"It's endorsing me, but I've never heard of this," she said.
A state Ethics Commission official said Thursday that Kansans for a Moderate Government is a registered political action committee in Wichita formed this summer.
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