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Kolste, Ringhand lead primary candidates in fundraising

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Debra Kolste

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Janis Ringhand

JANESVILLE — Deb Kolste has raised and spent the most money among the four Democrats who will square off Tuesday in the 44th Assembly District primary.

In the 45th Assembly District race, Democratic Rep. Janis Ringhand has raised more than the three other candidates—one Democrat and two Republicans—combined.

44th Assembly District

Through July, Kolste had receipts of $20,275 and expenses of $14,541, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state.

Financial activity for the first two months of August had not been filed.

Kolste, who reported a July-ending cash balance of about $5,734, joins Sam Liebert, Kevin Murray and Yuri Rashkin in Tuesday's primary election for the district that includes most of Janesville.

The winner will face Republican Rep. Joe Knilans in the November general election.

In addition to raising and spending the most money, Kolste also led the pack in terms of cash on hand at the end of July.

Through June, Knilans' campaign had a cash balance of more than $48,000.

According to the reports:

-- Murray has raised $14,000 and spent about $10,500 since becoming a candidate last year. At the end of July, his campaign had a cash balance of nearly $3,500.

-- Rashkin had total receipts of nearly $5,400 and expenses of more than $4,400, leaving him a balance at the end of July of less than $1,000.

-- Liebert, who entered the race in February, reported receipts of about $5,600 through July. That was offset by expenses of approximately $5,200 and resulted in a July-ending balance of about $450.

45th Assembly District

Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton, is the incumbent in the 45th, but redistricting puts her in the 31st District. Under the new district lines, the 45th Assembly includes Orfordville, Evansville, much of the city of Beloit and the towns of Beloit, Avon, Magnolia and Newark.

Ringhand, an Evansville Democrat first elected to the 80th Assembly District in 2010, raised $19,232 through July. Redistricting moves her from the 80th District to the 45th District.

For the first seven months of the year, Ringhand spent more than $8,200 on her campaign, leaving a current-year cash balance of nearly $11,000. Combining previous years, her total cash balance is more than $13,000.

Ringhand is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Sheila De Forest of Beloit.

Through July, De Forest reported total receipts of about $4,300 and disbursements of nearly $2,800, leaving her campaign a cash balance of about $1,500.

The winner of the Ringhand-De Forest primary will face Russell Rucker or Beth Schmidt, who face off Tuesday in a Republican primary.

Through July, Rucker of Orfordville raised about $2,300 and spent about $2,200, leaving a balance of just more than $100.

For the same time period, Schmidt of Orfordville raised nearly $6,500 and spent about $4,300. She reported a July-ending cash balance of about $2,200.