Second-quarter campaign finance reports for Wyoming\u2019s GOP primary House race are in. Steve Friess has amassed the most with $2.5 million, which includes a $2 million self-loan. Reid Rasner is second, loaning himself $1.7 million out of $2 million.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
By Clair McFarland<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second-quarter campaign finance reports for Wyoming\u2019s GOP primary House race are in, and four candidates have loaned themselves more than $1 million each.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steve Friess has amassed the largest war chest with $2.5 million, which includes a $2 million self-loan. Reid Rasner is second, loaning himself $1.7 million out of $2 million, while two others, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and Teton-County-based attorney Frank Chapman, also hit above the $1 million mark with self-funding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those four will face off against six other Republican contenders for the GOP nomination in Wyoming’s Aug. 18 primary election in the hopes of winning the state’s lone U.S. House race soon being vacated by Rep. Harriet Hageman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Friess has \u201cinvested $2 million of his own money in the effort,\u201d as his Wednesday statement describes the self-loan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That puts Friess\u2019s principal campaign committee Friess For Wyoming at nearly $2.2 million after another $92,361 in other contributions and $81,136 in transfers from other authorized committees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While U.S. Federal Election Commission reports for the second quarter surfaced this week, Friess\u2019s financial lead is more notable because he declared his run later than most candidates in April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognizable names appear in Friess\u2019s donations receipts, such as National Museum of Military Vehicles founder Dan Starks and major University of Wyoming donors<\/u><\/a> John \u201cJay\u201d and Karen Kemmerer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The joint fundraising committee Friess Wyoming Victory Fund also raises money for the Friess campaign and has logged $363,626 in receipts, all from individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those include conservative media giant Tucker Carlson, Turning Point USA board member Doug DeGroote, and Friess\u2019s mother Lynne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friess\u2019s principal committee has $606,907 cash on hand \u2014 the most of any candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s spent about $1.49 million so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friess’s spokesman Tim Edson noted that within the past three months, Friess has outraised all opponents combined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Republicans are rallying around Steve because they want a political outsider and businessman who can’t be bought,” wrote Edson in a Friday text message. “With a month to go, Steve has the money and the momentum \u2014 he’s now tied for the lead and poised to overtake Chuck Gray and win this race.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n For total receipts, Rasner is second at nearly $2.044 million for his primary committee, Reid Rasner for Wyoming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n That includes a nearly $1.71 million self-loan and $328,762 in other contributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rasner\u2019s committee\u2019s ending cash on hand is $81,017.78, and he\u2019s spent nearly $2 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His campaign did not return a Thursday text message request for comment by publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gray\u2019s committee Citizens for Chuck Gray has logged $1,378,842 in receipts, including $230,936 in contributions and a $1.147 million self-loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s spent about $852,365 so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gray\u2019s individual receipts show giving by Drake Hill, who is a Cheyenne-based attorney and husband to former Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill; Gray\u2019s father Jan Charles Gray; and Gore-Tex heiress Susan Gore, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gray told Cowboy State Daily in a Thursday text message that his campaign is \u201cin the lead, is gaining momentum and remains in a strong financial position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you to the people of Wyoming for your support,\u201d wrote Gray, who said he has a proven track record of advancing Wyoming values \u201cand will continue that work as a member of Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He added a critique that surfaces in many of his public statements against the media and an undefined group of \u201cinsiders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat track record is why our campaign is in the lead, and it\u2019s why the leftwing media and the insiders continue to attack me,\u201d wrote Gray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The PAC Protecting Wyoming Values dispatches mailers regularly in Gray\u2019s favor. Its receipts total $657,009, all contributions from Gray\u2019s father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gray\u2019s committee\u2019s cash on hand nearly rivals Friess\u2019, at $526,476.60.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To Matt Micheli, a longtime politico and former chair of the Wyoming Republican Party, Gray\u2019s name recognition and Friess\u2019s momentum are honing the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Micheli donated money to another contender, Senate President Bo Biteman, but has since endorsed Friess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cListen, money matters in elections, and you need to have enough money to get your message out to voters,\u201d Micheli said Thursday. \u201cWe\u2019re at the point now people are starting to pay attention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Micheli added, \u201cRight now, I see it as a two-person race. I think it really comes down to Steve Friess or Chuck Gray. They\u2019re the two candidates right now that have a chance of winning this race.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapman told Cowboy State Daily he believes his campaign is doing \u201cvery well finance-wise in the race.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019ve got four main, you know, candidates that have gone out and raised money or contributed money to make themselves viable in responsible campaigns,\u201d said Chapman, listing himself among Friess, Gray and Rasner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His main campaign committee Chapman for Congress lists just over $1.09 million in receipts with $31,622.89 in contributions and a $1.06 million self-loan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapman\u2019s cash on hand notation tallies $495,161.33 \u2014 the third most after Friess and Gray. He\u2019s spent at least $596,462.50 from his principal committee, says the FEC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapman noted that independent political action committees (PACs) may also play a huge role in the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Miami billionaire Ken Griffin<\/u><\/a> has dropped $2.5 million into the super-PAC Fighting For Wyoming, which has touted Chapman as<\/u><\/a> \u201ca conservative rancher ready to fight with President Trump for the people of Wyoming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chapman said strategy is also important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re running a campaign, a responsible candidate will buy the last three weeks (of TV ads) three months out,\u201d said Chapman, adding that his campaign did that for prominent Wyoming TV channels. He also spoke of going to forums and gaining momentum in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other six candidates in this 10-way primary election are Biteman, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, military veterans David Giralt and Kevin Christensen, former lawmaker Keith Goodenough and Richard Dodson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Giralt has raised at least $184,529.88, including one $64,691.48 self-loan, and spent $31,449, the FEC says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He narrowly outpaced Balow for that fifth-place earner slot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said he\u2019s honored to have donations and support from members of Congress, but more humbled when he\u2019s out door-knocking and a Wyomingite \u201cdecides to wrap a contribution check for $50 in an envelope and send us on our way with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs someone who\u2019s new to politics I\u2019m very proud of the work, the momentum we\u2019ve been able to build,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Giralt said he was out knocking doors during his Friday phone interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs someone starting on this journey as a bit of an outsider I\u2019m just very humbled to out-fundraise people who\u2019ve been in the political realm for years or even decades, for some,\u201d he said, adding that people\u2019s giving is more touching since he started out his campaign as \u201ca long shot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Balow\u2019s primary campaign committee Jillian Balow for Wyoming has raised $166.451.09 as of the July FEC filing deadline. That includes $41,449 in individual contributions and $125,000 of her own money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The FEC shows her at $124,051 cash on hand and $42,399.75 in expenses as of the July report cutoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of the groundswell of support that is providing my campaign with the critical resources I need to connect with undecided voters,\u201d said Balow in a Thursday text message. \u201cI\u2019m the only candidate in the House race with Wyoming roots, a conservative record as a leader, and the tenacity to fight hard and win for Wyoming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Balow added, \u201cSlick television ads and endless family wealth will not win this race. Shoe leather and grit will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both Balow and Biteman have garnered donations from multiple former state lawmakers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Biteman promised this year that he would not declare for higher office at least until the legislative session was over, saying he wanted to focus on leading the Senate rather than campaigning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result, he declared his run later than Rasner and Gray, but still a few days earlier than Friess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019s raised $94,342.45 as of his second-quarter FEC report, nearly all donations from individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The FEC lists his cash on hand at $20,407.69 and his expenditures at nearly $74,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe also have a number of outstanding donor commitments that were made after the close of the reporting period or have not yet been received, so this report doesn\u2019t reflect all the support behind our campaign,\u201d said Biteman in a Thursday text message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said his campaign has been disciplined with its spending out of respect for the donors who \u201cexpect us to be good stewards of every dollar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019d rather be known for running an efficient campaign than an expensive one,\u201d Biteman said. \u201cEvery dollar we save today is another dollar we can invest in reaching voters when it matters most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n “Campaigns aren\u2019t built to accumulate cash \u2014 they\u2019re built to communicate with voters and earn support, and that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Biteman said many donors are watching to see how the crowded primary contest develops before making larger commitments, but said his campaign is budling support across Wyoming, adding volunteers and meeting with voters every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI feel very good about where this campaign is headed because we have the experience, the record, and the grassroots support to win,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a Wednesday morning coffee gathering in Riverton, Biteman had quipped at the incongruity of some candidates spending more than $2 million to win a nearly $180,000 a year job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was simply to say that public service should be about serving the people, not building a career in politics,\u201d said Biteman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said he prefers to deliver his message in person, \u201cnot through a $125,000 mailer or a late night Roku ad buy, as most Wyomingites don\u2019t want to believe that this election can be outright bought or that the voters can be enticed by shiny objects over proven, consistent and effective leadership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Christensen campaign has raised $13,258.21. That\u2019s $10,258.21 in contributions and $3,000 of Christensen\u2019s money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The FEC lists him as having $4,573.98 cash on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christensen acknowledged in a Thursday phone interview that he can\u2019t match many others\u2019 fundraising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m going off of, you know, people that know me and people who are Wyoming residents. I haven\u2019t accepted any PAC money,\u201d he said. \u201cBut you know for value on the dollar, I\u2019m doing very well for the amount of money I\u2019m bringing in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Christensen said he believes is campaign is gaining momentum, and he\u2019s looking forward to proving it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FEC reports for Dodson and Goodenough were not publicly available as of publication time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Am I wrong in rejecting these four for loaning their campaigns $1 million or more? Seems like a sneaky angle to get their money back (with interest?) if they win the nomination and the floodgates of donations open. And why not just gift the money to your campaign if you feel that strongly about it? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-wyoming"],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Jason","author_link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/author\/jturning\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18078"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18079,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18078\/revisions\/18079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Steve](\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.imgix.net\/MixCollage-17-Jul-2026-05-49-PM-9333.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&q=75&auto=format%2Ccompress\")
Next Up, Reid<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chuck Gray<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Chapman<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
David Giralt<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Jillian Balow<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Bo Biteman<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kevin Christensen<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n