Former state Republican Party chairman Allen Weh continues to pump his own money into the race for the GOP gubernatorial nomination, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

Weh raised $341,000 during the past month, including a personal loan of $250,000. It brought to $1 million the amount that Weh has lent his campaign so far. Weh owns an aircraft charter company in Albuquerque.

Weh's loans account for almost two-thirds of the $1.6 million in monetary and in-kind donations of goods and services he's collected since starting his campaign last year.

Four other Republicans are seeking the party's nomination for governor: state Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, Pete Domenici Jr., Susana Martinez and Doug Turner.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who is unopposed for her party's gubernatorial nomination, has a big fundraising advantage over the GOP candidates.

Denish had a cash balance of $2.7 million in her campaign account as of last week, according to a disclosure report filed Monday with the Secretary of State's Office. The latest reporting period covers fundraising from early April through May 3.

Weh reported a cash-on-hand of $352,047. Turner, who owns an Albuquerque public-relations company, had a campaign balance of $229,921. Martinez, the Doña Ana County district attorney, reported $129,339. Domenici, an Albuquerque lawyer, had $24,858 and Arnold-Jones had $22,124.

Denish's campaign collected $295,198 in contributions during the past month and spent $183,942.

Top contributors to Denish included several labor unions, $25,000 from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; $10,000 from the United Food and Commercial Workers; and $5,000 each from the National Education Association-New Mexico and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters. The Hewlett-Packard Co., which received state financial incentives to open a customer-service support center in Rio Rancho, gave $5,000.

Weh's contributors included Albuquerque lawyers Turner Branch, $10,000, and Paul Kennedy, $5,000. Weh's campaign spent $533,529, including $278,000 on television and radio advertising.

Turner raised $85,629, including a loan of $48,794 from his company. His campaign spent $110,923.

Turner, like Weh, is largely self-financing his campaign. Loans from the candidate and his company account for more than two-thirds of the $1 million in monetary and in-kind contributions collected so far by Turner's campaign.

Martinez, the Doña Ana County district attorney, received $116,215 in contributions and spent $350,789, including $233,000 on broadcast advertising. She has made no personal loans to her campaign so far.

A top contributor to Martinez was Roswell oilman Mark Murphy. He and his companies gave $25,000, including $10,000 from Winn Investments of Roswell. Murphy's wife, Susan, is president of the oil and natural gas exploration company and Murphy is treasurer, according to state corporation records.

Domenici, the son of former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, collected $118,326 in contributions, including a $50,000 personal loan from the candidate. His campaign spent $223,167. His contributors included former Republican U.S. Sen. Alfonse D'Amato of New York, $5,000; and $20,000 from Eugene Lovato of Santa Fe.

Arnold-Jones, of Albuquerque, raised $45,324, including almost $25,000 that was lent by vendors such as printing companies and an accountant who serves as her campaign treasurer. A Santa Fe investor, Diane Claire, contributed $5,000. Arnold-Jones spent $41,326.




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