How much money have Pa.-13 congressional candidates raised & spent?

(Chambersburg) — The eight Republican candidates running for Pennsylvania’s 13th Congressional District have together raised nearly $650,000 for the May 15 primary election.

State Rep. Stephen Bloom, R-Carlisle, leads the pack in both spending and fundraising – more than double his nearest competitor.

Bloom also is one of just three candidates to file a required personal financial disclosure report this year with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Candidates for federal office must report their income, assets and liabilities. They also must report the source of their spouses’ income. The disclosure is intended to promote transparency.

Candidates raising more than $5,000 a year are required to report.

State Sen. John Eichelberger, R-Hollidaysburg, and Dr. John Joyce of Frankstown filed personal finance reports. Art Halvorson of Manns Choice filed one in 2016, but not this year when his campaign again raised more than $5,000.

When contacted by a reporter on Friday, Halvorson said his campaign’s certified public accountant failed to file the 2018 report when he asked her to.

“I should have checked up on her,” Halvorson said.

Retired Col. Doug Mastriano of Fayetteville also had not filed a disclosure statement as of this week. His campaign committee has met the minimum spending limit. The deadline was April 16.

“Pursuant to the House Ethics Committee rules, we filed for an extension,” Mastriano said.

A candidate filing a late report is subject to a $200 fine. The House Committee on Ethics enforces the personal financial disclosure requirement.

Ben Hornberger of Shippensburg, Travis Schooley of Quincy Township and Bernard “Bernie” Washabaugh III of Chambersburg apparently have not raised more than $5,000 this year. The three did not file personal finance reports.

Washabaugh also did not file a campaign finance report with the Federal Elections Commission. Hornberger reported contributions of $476 and spending to $574, Schooley reported contributions of $6 and spending of $12.

Candidates for Congress are required to report to the FEC when a single expense or contribution exceeds $200.

Here’s a breakdown of the five-leading committees’ fundraising through March 31, according to FEC reports:

• Bloom’s committee raised $297,921 and spent $1034,473. He had $194,448 cash on hand.
• Joyce’s committee has raised $136,085, including $115,000 in loans from the candidate, and spent nothing.
• Halvorson’s committee raised $109,097, including loans of $65,000 from the candidate. He spent $29,407 and has $96,251 to spend.
• Eichelberger’s committee raised $82,743, including a $20,000 loan from the candidate. He spent $27,848. He has $54,895 on hand.
• Mastriano’s committee raised $24,885 and spent $15,375. He has $9,510 on hand.

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster’s campaign committee has more money on hand than all of the candidates running for his seat. Shuster, chairman of the House transportation committee, is not seeking re-election.

Shuster represents the 9th District, which is the rough equivalent of the 13th District in this election. All of Franklin County is included in the old 9th and the new 13th. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court changed the number and boundaries of the congressional district earlier this year after a statewide redistricting battle.

Shuster has $810,178 to spend, but his committee has reported no contributions or expenditures since Jan. 1.  The committee returned $184,300 in contributions during the latest reporting period.

Candidates are spending money on more than yard signs, buttons and brochures. Bloom and Eichelberger each are paying more than $10,000 to political strategists.  Bloom has spent at least $3,000 on online ads, Eichelberger at least $3,070 and Mastriano at least $750. Halvorson has spent $5,620 on billboards. 

From the personal financial disclosure reports:

Stephen Bloom

2017 salary: $85,434 salary as state representative, $10,947 salary from Irwin and McKnight.

Spouse: works for Chamber of Commerce

Liabilities: $15,001 to $50,000 loan from Pershing LLC

Dr. John Joyce

2017 salary: $640,841 from Altoona Dermatology Associates

Other 2017 income: Dividends and interest from a variety of investments including natural gas drilling, metal tube manufacture, physical therapy clinics, land, bonds and municipal funds.

Spouse: works at Altoona Dermatology Associates

Liabilities: $50,001 to $100,000 business loan from Kish Bank.

John Eichelberger Jr.

2017 salary: $111,300 as state senator, $921 as president of Complete Insurance Services Inc.

Other 2017 income was from Complete Insurance and Eichelberger LLC

Spouse: works for Nexstar Broadcasting, Juniata United Methodist Church and St. John’s Reformed Church.

Liabilities: Mortgage of $100,001 to $250,000 on a commercial building.

Art Halvorson

2015 salary: None

Halvorson’s income and liabilities are connected to properties that his four limited liability companies own in Maryland, Iowa, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Other income: More than $340,000 from 12 properties.

Liabilities: exceed $3.7 million for 10 properties.

Spouse: No income

Art Halvorson speaks during a Q & A for U.S. Congress representative for the 13th Congressional District. The event was held at Menno Haven on Tuesday, April 3, 2018. (Photo: Markell DeLoatch, Public Opinion)

 

Tidbits from campaign finance documents:

• Bloom had the most money (nearly $20,500) from political action committees. Thousands came from members of the Pennsylvania House and $5,000 from the conservative House Freedom Fund.
• The only PAC contribution to another candidate was $2,000 to Eichelberger from the FNB Corp. PAC.
• Retirees comprised the single largest sector of individual contributors — $57,000 to Bloom, $17,000 to Halvorson, $4,700 to Joyce, $2,000 to Eichelberger and $1,250 to Mastriano.
• The largest contributor in the race came from those associated with United Computer Products Co. who gave $13,500 to Eichelberger, according to OpenSecrets.org.
• Bloom had contributions totaling $11,000 from those associated with Martin’s Pastry Shoppe and $10,800 from those associated with College Loan Corp.
• Mastriano got $5,650 from people associated with the Army as well as a $2,500 contribution from Levi Clevenger, host of News Talk 103.7 FM.
• Joyce got a $2,700 contribution from Stephen Sheetz, chairman of Sheetz Corp.

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The Chambersburg Public Opinion.