Zinke campaign linked to Whitefish billionaire
According to a recent analysis of campaign-finance reports through Dec. 31, Republican U.S. House candidate Ryan Zinke, of Whitefish, has raised more money from donations than his competitors, but he collected the lowest percentage from in-state residents.
And nearly 26 percent of Zinke’s total campaign funds came from executives and employees of Florida-based Fidelity National Financial Inc., a business created by billionaire William B. Foley II, along with its affiliated businesses and their political action committees.
Foley, a part-time Montana resident with a home at the north end of Whitefish Lake, is board chairman of Fidelity National Insurance and serves on the boards of other affiliated companies.
Foley also is a majority owner of Whitefish Mountain Resort; the Glacier Jet Center at Glacier Park International Airport; the Glacier Restaurant Group, which includes the Craggy Range, Ciao Mambo, Mackenzie River Pizza and Latitude 48 restaurants; and a 30,000-acre luxury subdivision and private golf course near Deer Lodge.
Zinke, a former Republican state senator and retired Navy SEAL, called Foley a friend and a “very, very bright guy” who believes in American exceptionalism. Zinke noted that Foley is a West Point graduate and a veteran “who has a lot of veterans working for him.”
Foley was a major bundler of campaign funds for President George W. Bush and unsuccessful presidential candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney.
“He’s a major donor that steps in when he thinks he’s right,” Zinke said. “He just doesn’t support Republicans. He’s very careful about who he supports. His advice to me is you have to do what you say. Don’t yield to pressure. He’s got a Rolodex.”
Zinke raised nearly $448,000 from individuals and political action committees through Dec. 31 — more money than any other U.S. House candidate in Montana, excluding candidates’ personal loans. About 18 percent of Zinke’s total came from Montanans in itemized donations of $200 or more.
Only one U.S. House candidate in Montana raised more money — Republican state Sen. Matt Rosendale, R-Glendive, a Maryland native who loaned his campaign $500,000. Rosendale, Republican former state Sen. Corey Stapleton and Democrat John Lewis all reported raising about 45 percent of their donations from Montanans.
Zinke described the first phase of his fundraising as from bigger events.
“I think what we’ll see in the next fundraising report was the Montana support will be more balanced, as it should be,” he said.
Zinke noted that he’s had a lot of support from veterans and was endorsed by five or six veterans organizations. When he was volunteer chairman of Special Operations for America, a Super-PAC formed in 2012 to oppose President Barack Obama’s re-election, Zinke said about 15,000 veterans donated to the group.
In a shot apparently aimed at Rosendale, a Maryland native who loaned his campaign $500,000, Zinke said, “I’m not self-funding. I’m not a carpetbagger. I’m a third-generation Montanans. Montana is in my DNA.”
Zinke has raised nearly $115,000 in donations from Florida, about $80,000 from California, about $49,700 from Texas donors and more than $46,000 from donors in New York.
Zinke received $36,550 from other Whitefish donors as of Dec. 31. They included Rick and Alicia Blake, $5,000; Bart and Bea DePratu, $5,200; Tim and Darlene Grattan; $5,200, Doug and Bet Wise; $5,200, Don Kaltschmidt, $1,000; Al Schellinger, $1,000; Jamie Shennan, $2,600; William Bayne, $5,200; Nicholas Chickering, $2,600; and Warren Sherman, $1,000.