Skelton, Ranzau and Unruh are top fundraisers

In the battle to represent the southern part of Sedgwick County, Wichita City Council member Jim Skelton raised $20,000 more than current Commissioner Gwen Welshimer, campaign finance reports released Monday show.

Skelton received much of the money in his campaign checkbook from developers and real estate leaders, including heavy hitters downtown who have received support and incentives from the city. The Republican also was heavily supported by the towing industry and said he had a friend in that field.

Welshimer, a Democrat, received money from several companies with ties to the old Wichita Mall, where the county rents office space. The sheriff’s office, housing department, appraiser’s office and corrections department all have space there.

Welshimer said she had no problems accepting money from Max Cole, his son and their companies because Cole “doesn’t beg for public money.” Welshimer has been critical of Skelton’s support for using taxpayer money to develop downtown.

In turn, Skelton said, “I think anybody in office, no matter what office, realizes that downtown Wichita is important.”

Then he joked: “But that’s not why I take money from them.”

Skelton started the reporting period with $179 in his campaign fund. He raised $43,995 and spent $43,212.

Welshimer started the reporting period with $990 and raised $23,947. She spent $24,430.

Skelton got $500 contributions — the highest amount allowed from individuals and companies — from such wellknown developers as Jack DeBoer and George Laham, large companies such as Spirit AeroSystems, and political action committees such as the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Wichita Area Association of Realtors. Warren Theatres gave him money as well.

Welshimer received $500 contributions from developer Johnny Stevens and his wife, Marjorie, ABC Recycling and its owners and from the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation.

She loaned herself $8,247, records show. Skelton loaned himself $1,300.

District 4

In the District 4 race in the northern part of the county, Oletha Faust-Goudeau had $1,671 at the beginning of the period and raised $6,715. She spent $8,357.

The Democrat received $500 contributions from the Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Building & Construction, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign and the Senate Democratic Committee.

Republican Richard Ranzau had $1,977 on hand at the beginning of the period and raised $25,525. He spent only $6,584, leaving him with the most of any commission candidate, about $21,000.

Ranzau received $500 from developer Johnny Stevens, Commercial Real Estate, March Oil Co., Old Town Development LLC, developer Nestor Weigand and the Wichita Realtors political action committee.

District 1

In the District 1 race in the eastern part of the county, Republican Dave Unruh had $36,384 available at the beginning of the period and raised $17,245. He spent $35,853.

Unruh received $500 contributions from the Plumber and Pipefitters, the Fourth District Republican Committee, developer Jay Russell, the chamber’s political action committee, Wichita Realtors political action committee, David Murfin of Murfin Oil and Slawson Commercial Development.

The report for Democrat Betty Arnold, a Wichita school board member, was not available. Election Commissioner Bill Gale said his office did not receive a report by the 5 p.m. Monday deadline.

District 1 race

Republican Dave Unruh’s $500 contributors: Veterinarian Jan Hinshaw, wife of sheriff Robert Hinshaw; Plumbers and Pipefitters; John McKay Jr., oil industry; Mike Michaelis, chairman of Emprise Bank; Fourth District Republican Committee; Robert Buford and Martha Buford, oil and gas. Both gave $500. Developer Jay Russell; Developer Johnny Stevens and Marjorie Stevens; Wichita Realtors political action committee; Marty Cornejo of Cornejo & Sons, construction; David Murfin of Murfin Oil; Slawson Commercial Development Co.; Newmarket LLC; Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce’s political action committee; Spirit AeroSystems; Gary Oborny of Occidental Management; Building and Construction Trades Council of Central and Western Kansas; Craig Nelson in the construction industry; Ronald Cornejo of Cornejo & Sons; Triplett, Woolf and Garretson in the legal industry; Galichia Heart Hospital; Sandlian Realty

Democrat Betty Arnold did not file a report by the deadline, Election Commissioner Bill Gale said.

District 4 race

Democrat Oletha Faust-Goudeau’s $500 contributors: Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation; Plumbers and Pipefitters; Building and Construction Trades Council of Central and Western Kansas; Democratic Senatorial Campaign political action committee; Senate Democratic Committee political action committee

Republican Richard Ranzau’s $500 contributors: Developer Johnny Stevens; Commercial Real Estate; March Oil Co.; Becky Clark, a homemaker; Developer Stephen Clark; Sharon Pack, a manager in the real estate industry; Kelly and Robert Benton, pilot in the aviation industry; Lieber Investments; Bernard and Linda Hearon in the medical industry; Sandlian Realty; Washer Specialties; Bill and Carolyn Mast in the accounting industry; Stephen Schoonover in the computer industry; Developer Johnny Stevens; Marjorie Stephens, a homemaker; John McKay and Dorothy McKay, real estate. Both gave $500. March Oil Co.; Developer Nestor Weigand Jr.; Investment Resources Corp., real estate; Stand Up for Kansas political action committee; Wichita Realtors political action committee; Sharon Pack, an office manager in real estate; David and Remell Harder, office manager, real estate; Robert Baker, an accountant; Kenney Thomas, a business owner in the pet food industry; Stephen and Becky Clark, real estate. Both gave $500. Stephen Clark II, real estate; James Garvey, construction; John Axtell, engineer; No. 1 Old Town Development LLC; James Wurbs, accounting; TM Ventures LLC, real estate; James Dunning, accounting; James E. Jr. and Jill Dunning, accounting; M.S. Mitchell, retired; Commercial Real Estate; Double J, real estate; I-135 and 77th LLC, real estate

District 5 race

Republican Jim Skelton’s $500 contributors: Ted Timsah and Carolyn Timsah. He is with J.P. Weigand & Sons. They both gave $500. Developer George Laham Sr.; Wheat State Investments, entertainment industry; 127 Paw LLC, real estate; Mark Ysidro of Happy Hooker Towing and Transportation; Andrew Hutton, manager in the construction industry; Mark Hutton, manager in the construction industry; Steve Barrett of J.P. Weigand & Sons; Warren Theatres; HLK, real estate; Steve Ritchie, real estate; Cathy Erickson, vice president of Laham Development; Russell Hazelwood, a lawyer; Bradley Tidemann of J.P. Weigand & Sons; Acquisition Group LLC, real estate; Bob Wells and Patricia Wells, managers in the real estate industry. Both gave $500. K-96 LLC, real estate; Terry Palmgren, real estate; Dave Wells and Robyn Wells of Key Construction. Both gave $500; Jarjake LLC, real estate; Mike Lies, construction industry; Leann Lies, a school teacher; Developer Jay Russell; Veterinarian Jan Hinshaw, the wife of sheriff Robert Hinshaw; Marketplace Properties, real estate; Bill Mast in the construction industry; Steven Schoonover in the aviation industry; Ken’s Auto Tow; Tow Service Inc.; Happy Hooker Towing; Winfield Motor Co.; John McKay and Dorothy McKay, real estate developers. Both gave $500. Stand Up for Kansas political action committee; Wichita Area Association of Realtors political action committee; Spirit AeroSystems; Plumbers and Pipefitters; Wheat State Investments, entertainment industry; Bob Aldrich, railroad industry; Allen, Gibbs and Houlik in the accounting industry; Mark Ysidro Sr. of Happy Hooker Towing and Transportation; Monte Ysidro of Happy Hooker Towing and Transportation; Interstate Wrecker Service; Mark Ysidro Jr. of Happy Hooker Towing and Transportation; Washer Specialties, building maintenance industry; Clarence Lieber building maintenance industry; Building and Construction Trades Council of Central and Western Kansas; Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce’s political action committee; Bob Mease in the medical industry; John Dugan in the aircraft industry; William Short in the real estate industry; 4th District Republican Committee; Dave Wells, construction industry; Aaron’s Midtown Auto; Aaron’s Recycling; Innovative Recycling; OLC Properties, real estate; KRC Properties, real estate; FMI Inc., a parts and supplies business in the aircraft industry; James Dunning Jr., accounting; TM Ventures, real estate; No. 1 Old Town Development, real estate; Dunning CPAs „ James Wurbs, accounting; Craig Nelson, construction; Kevin Mullin and Nancy Mullin, real estate. Both gave $500. Martin Park in the baby care industry

Democrat Gwen Welshimer’s $500 contributors: Michael Marks and Dorothy Marks of the metal recycling industry. Both gave $500. Mark Land LLC, real estate; ABC Recycling LLC; Developer Johnny Stevens; Richard Taylor in information technology; IKM LLC, real estate; Maxine Cole Revocable Trust, real estate; C-Plus LLC, real estate; KTW LLC, real estate; Co-Co Properties, real estate; Office This LLC, real estate; Summit Avenue LLC, real estate; Two Times LLC, real estate; Sixty Four Hundred LLC, real estate; Max Cole Revocable Trust, real estate; KTW II LLC, real estate; LW LLC, real estate; Lee Max and Gina-Ann Cole, real estate; LMC Capital LLC, real estate; Marjorie Stevens, real estate; Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation

This story was originally published October 26, 2010 at 6:51 AM with the headline "Skelton, Ranzau and Unruh are top fundraisers."