Latest campaign fundraising data released for state federal races

HELENA, Mont. - The latest campaign fundraising data shows a new trend is taking shape in some of these federal races in Montana, and more money in the bank shows who has an early advantage.

1. Seth Bodnar (I) $1,358,574
2. Kurt Alme (R) $924,643
3. Reilly Neill (D) $277,088
4. Kyle Austin (l) $262,094      

In the race for U.S. Senate, ten candidates, including six democrats, two republicans, a libertarian and an independent are competing to fill the seat that will be left vacant by republican Steve Daines,who plans to retire.

Leading the way as the top fundraiser is independent Seth Bodnar with over $1.3 million, most of which he has yet to spend.

Right after Bodnar is republican candidate Kurt Alme with over $924,000 raised.

Then, the fundraising gap widens with democratic candidate Reilly Neill and libertarian candidate Kyle Austin both hovering below $300,000.

Other senate candidates have raised less than$16,000 or don’t have any fundraising data reported this quarter.

1. Ryan Busse (D) $530,043
2. Aaron Flint (R) $453,652
3. Russell Cleveland (D) $325,863
4. Christi Jacobsen (R) $260,061
5. Matthew Rains (D)$113,774                      

In Montana's Western Congressional District race, four democrats and three republicans are trying to fill the seat of outgoing republican congressman Ryan Zinke.

Democratic candidate Ryan Busse is leading the charge with over $530,000 raised.

Coming in after Busse, it’s republican Aaron Flint with over $453,000 raised, democrat Russell Cleveland is next with over $325,000, republican Christi Jacobsen  with over $260,000, and democrat Matthew Rains with $113,000.

Other candidates did not have fundraising data reported for this cycle.

1. Troy Downing (R) $1,633,759
2. Michael Eisenhauer (I) $208,448
3. Brian Miller (D) $15,220
4. Sam Lux (D) $8,255      

In the Eastern Congressional District race, incumbent congressman republican Troy Downing has a strong lead on fundraising with $1.6 million total receipts.

Independent Michael Eisenhauer comes in second with$208,000.

Democrats Brian Miller and Sam Lux both have less than $16,000 total raised.

The FEC releases fundraising data in quarterly cycles, so the next numbers we’ll see by mid-July shows who has the most cash raised, on the other side of Montana's June 2 election.