Beau Bayh, whose father once held the office he’s now running for, is far outpacing the competition in raising and spending for Indiana’s secretary of state race.
After raising more than half a million in the first quarter of this year, the young Democrat is now heading into prime convention season with just about $2 million in his campaign coffers, compared to incumbent Republican Diego Morales’ $1.2 million.
Both are seeking their parties’ nominations at their respective state conventions in June. Both have competition there.
Blythe Potter, a veteran and small business owner in Bargersville, is also running as a Democrat. She raised more than $20,000 this quarter and now has about $67,000 in the bank.
Morales faces competition from Knox County Clerk David Shelton and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Jamie Reitenour.
Shelton raised about $22,000 this quarter, including $14,000 in loans to himself, leaving him with about $3,700 cash on hand. His campaign has gained steam in other ways, including through an endorsement from former U.S. Senate candidate John Rust and a reported letter from former Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson supporting Shelton and criticizing Morales for questionable practices in his office, including his purchase of a $90,000 luxury vehicle.
Reitenour started the year with $300 and raised $2,700 this quarter, bringing her cash on hand to $2,900.
Libertarian candidate Lauri Shillings has already been nominated by her party and will appear on the general election ballot. She started the year with $7,606 and raised $10,306 this quarter mostly from individual donors giving less than $1,000. After spending just over $5,000, she now has $12,500 in the bank.
Though former Indianapolis Republican Mayor Greg Ballard hasn’t officially collected enough signatures yet to be on the ballot as a member of his own third party, the Lincoln Party, he still released a report April 16 on his fundraising. Since launching his campaign for secretary of state in early March, he raised about $290,000, and after spending $174,000 now has $115,000 in the bank.
A PAC supporting Ballard, called Hoosiers for Competitive Elections, also reported raising nearly $100,000 since the beginning of the year.
Who gave the most to Bayh and Morales
Bayh led the way with a number big-ticket donations, including a few from out of state:
A significant portion of Morales’ 415 individual donors gave less than $10. His biggest donors were:
Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X @kayla_dwyer17.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Beau Bayh outraises competitors in Indiana secretary of state race
Reporting by Kayla Dwyer, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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