ALBUQUERQUE — Republican congressional candidate Darren White has inched ahead of Democrat Martin Heinrich in fundraising in the crowded 1st District race.

White raised $233,510 and spent $108,568, while Heinrich collected $201,046 and had $135,049 in expenditures for the first quarter ending March 31, according to the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday.

But Heinrich had $342,423 in his campaign account by the end of March, compared with $297,499 for White, the reports said. Heinrich had a head start on fundraising by entering the race last May, while White announced his candidacy in October.

In the June 3 Democratic primary, Heinrich, a former Albuquerque city councilor, far outpaced Democratic opponents former Michelle Lujan Grisham, a former state health secretary, and Albuquerque attorney Robert Pidcock. Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron, a latecomer to the race, had not filed her report as of Tuesday evening.

White also outraised his primary opponent, Republican state Sen. Joe Carraro. Carraro had not filed his FEC report by Tuesday evening, but said in a news release Monday that he had raised more than $33,000, which included $10,000 of his own money.

The six candidates are vying for the seat being vacated by Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., who is running for the U.S. Senate seat left open by retiring Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.

White, Bernalillo County's sheriff, had contributions that included $10,000 from the Pima County Republican Party of Tucson, Ariz., $2,300 from state GOP Party Chairman Allen E. Weh, $1,000 from a political action committee affiliated with Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla, and $500 from the Republican National Committee, the FEC report showed.

Carraro has criticized the state Republican Party for playing favorites in the primary race.

White's contributions included big donations from: Jim Click Jr. and Vicki Click of Tucson, Ariz., ($7,950); Mack Energy chief executive officer Robert Chase of Artesia and two of his family members ($6,900); Frontier restaurant owners Larry and Dorothy Rainosek of Albuquerque ($4,600); and Deborah Peacock of Albuquerque, owner of public safety outfitter Kaufman's West, ($4,600).

White also collected $20,000 from political action committees representing natural gas, insurance, accounting, oil field services, pharmaceuticals and anti-Fidel Castro interests.

Heinrich's campaign account showed $38,785 worth of donations from political action committees mostly representing or affiliated with unions and national Democratic leaders. Heinrich received money from PACs associated with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ($4,500); Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass. ($2,000); and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ($4,000); and from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ($1,250).

Heinrich's biggest individual donors included: Albuquerque archaeologist Peter Harrison and Alexandra Harrison ($7,200); San Francisco architect Herbert P. McLaughlin Jr. and Susan McLaughlin ($4,600); property manager Keely Wittington Reyes of Albuquerque and Richard Flint Reyes ($4,600).

Lujan Grisham reported $109,080 in contributions — including $2,300 from the Pueblo of Isleta — and spent $65,777 during the first quarter, the FEC report said.

Albuquerque attorney Robert Pidcock reported contributions of $36,095 from Dec. 4 to March 31. The amount includes $24,500 in money he loaned to himself. Pidcock spent $26,665 during the same period, the FEC report said.




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