Campaign Finance Report: Cindy Pugh, State House District 33B

Editor's note: Patch has posted in-depth looks at the campaign finance reports of each candidate running for State House and State Senate. An index is attached at the bottom of this post.

Local candidates running for state office have provided a first glimpse into their campaign war chests.

Candidates were required to file detailed reports of Receipts and Expenditures with Minnesota’s Campaign Finance Board by July 30 and itemize donors, lobbyist contributions and disbursements.

Local Republican Cindy Pugh is running for the State House District 33B seat, which is currently held by 11-term Republican incumbent Steve Smith.

But it was Pugh—a self described Tea Party leader running in her first race for public office—who gained the GOP endorsement earlier this summer, and a primary scheduled for Aug. 14 will determine who advances to the November general election.

House District 33B includes Shorewood, Excelsior, Greenwood, Deephaven, Tonka Bay, Minnetonka Beach, Spring Park, Mound and parts of Chanhassen and Orono. 

Smith has yet to file a detailed report of Receipt and Expenditure, but the campaign has filed six individual reports, known as “24 Hour Notices,” which apply to contributions over $400.

The penalty for missing the deadline is $50 per day.

Multiple attempts to reach the Smith campaign seeking comment on the delay in filing were unsuccessful, but Pugh issued a statement last week calling on her fellow Republican to “comply with the rules.”

“I believe citizens deserve to know who is trying to influence their elections,” Pugh said. “As a 22-year legislative member, one might think Steve Smith would understand the rules and have the utmost respect for the law.”

The Pugh campaign entered 2012 with a zero cash balance, but has raised more than $17,000 through July 23.

Pugh has received contributions ranging from $100 to $500 from a total of about 30 individuals. She also received $1,500 from the 33rd Senate District RPM headquartered in Medina and $300 from the Carver County RPM headquartered in Chanhassen.

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Minnesota in St. Paul donated $500 to the Pugh campaign, and the Voices of Conservative Women State Political Action Committee in Maple Grove contributed $250.

Pugh’s campaign has spent just over $9,300 to date and had an ending cash balance of $7,774 as of July 23. The campaign has a loan of less than $100 payable and $5,600 in unpaid campaign expenditures.

Some of the campaign’s largest line item expenditures include costs for printing, yard signs, stickers and photocopying, as well as advertising and supplies.

Other candidates:

State Senate District 33