BY SARAH ROSS
PORTLAND- With just under three months until November’s general election, candidates in Oregon’s race for State Treasurer have been working tirelessly to build their campaign war chests.
Republican candidate State Sen. Chris Telfer, R-Bend, has raised just over $23,500 in 2010. One of her more recent contributions has come from the wood producer Interfor, who gave $500 to Telfer’s campaign.
Bend radio “Money Talk” show host Bill Valentine, who also owns a wealth management firm in Bend, gave $2,500 to Telfer’s campaign in April, which has been one of the largest contributions she has received in several months.
The man currently holding the position of State Treasurer, Democrat candidate Ted Wheeler, has brought in nearly $288,000 in 2010.
Wheeler has gained contributions from some of the larger businesses around Portland, including $2,500 donations from Nike and Regence BlueCross BlueShield and $3,000 from Schnitzer Steel Industries and the media measurement and research company Rentrak.
Other notable donations include two of the biggest checks Wheeler received, written by the local ASFME public employee union, which totaled $9,000.
Wheeler also received $1,000 from former GOP gubernatorial candidate Ron Saxton and the current Attorney General John Kroger.
In June, Telfer also received $250 from the Health Center Political Action committee, while in May she received $2,000 from the energy company PacifiCorp and $500 donations from the pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp and T-Mobile USA.
Like Telfer, Wheeler was also given a $2,000 check from PacifiCorp.
On the Political Action Committee side, the United Transportation Union gave Wheeler $600, Teachers Voice in Politics gave $1,000, the Oregon Education Association gave $50,000 in in-kind contributions, and the SEIU’s PAC Citizens Action for Political Education gave a $20,000 in-kind contribution and a $10,000 cash contribution.
For full listings of campaign contributions click the respective links:
