Candidates report cash as primary nears

With a little less than four weeks to go before the primary election, candidates are hustling to raise money – and some have been more successful than others.

Congressman Randy Neugebauer, who faces Dr. Donald May in the March Republican primary election, holds a strong fundraising lead going into the final weeks of the primary race. Neugebauer reported just a little over $1 million dollars in his campaign account, according to year-end Federal Election Commission reports.

The FEC reports Dr. May finished 2013 with a zero balance in his campaign account.  For 2013, the Neugebauer campaign received $495,405 from political action committees, and $389,996 from individual donors. In the fourth quarter, the campaign took in $218,530 from individual donors, and $133,000 from political committees (PACS).

In the primary race for Texas House District 83.Lubbock Rep. Charles Perry is a comfortable distance ahead in fundraising totals against opponent Steve Massengale. From Jan. 1 through Jan. 23 Perry raised $71,370 while Massengale collected just $17,700. Perry’s biggest donors were PACS: Texans for Lawsuit Reform $25,000; Empower Texans $10,000; and the Texas Association of Realtors $5,000.  Massengale is president of the Lubbock Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Massengale’s biggest donor was the Texas Parent PAC, which contributed $5,000 to his campaign; Massengale also received a $2,000 donation from the Texas State Teachers Association PAC.

The primary election will be held March 4. The early voting period begins Feb. 18 and will end Feb. 28.