Campaign Finance Reports Reveal Differing Funding Bases for HD 48 Republicans – SweetwaterNOW

ROCK SPRINGS — Campaign finance reports on the Wyoming Secretary of State’s website reveal that almost all of Rep. Darin McCann’s financial support came from outside Rock Springs and House District 48, while his opponent’s support mainly came from contributions made by Wyoming-based Political Action Committees.
McCann was defeated in his reelection bid for HD 48 position seat by Rock Springs Fire Chief Jim Wamsley in the Republican Primary. McCann was joined by several Freedom Caucus members and their supporters in a drubbing that killed the group’s attempt to expand into the Senate and significantly diminished its power in the House. 
In total, McCann reported receiving $9,375 in contributions before the Aug. 18 election. He spent $7,097.58 of that cash. Only one of the contributions came from a Rock Springs resident, amounting to $25. 
The majority of his funding came from deep-pocketed donors in Jackson who contributed $1,500 amounts, the maximum allowable amount from an individual. Don Grasso’s contribution of $1,500 was part of the “Checkgate” controversy that hit the Wyoming Legislature earlier this year. McCann received Grasso’s $1,500 campaign contribution on the House floor and was the subject of a widely distributed photograph of him accepting the donation from conservative activist and Constitution Party gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Bextel. Joining Grasso in contributing $1,500 to McCann are Dan and Carleen Brophy, Lisa Meaney, and Debra Balbec. Amongst those donors, the wealthy Brophys have a long history of funding conservative candidates in their election bids. Their contributions were the focus of a 2016 Wyofile article examining his political beliefs and campaign spending. 
McCann also received $1,500 from Arthur Dantchik of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Dantchik is the cofounder of Susquehanna International Group, a financial services firm established in 1987. Forbes estimates Dantchik’s wealth at $16.9 billion as of the publication of this post.
Wamsley reported total contributions amounting to $14,680.30 and spent $8,050.89. Wyoming-based PACs contributed $10,050 to Wamsley’s campaign, with another $2,430.30 coming from individual donations and $2,200 coming from individual and personal contributions. Wamsley had only one family donation reaching the $1,500 maximum, which came from Billy Black of Rock Springs. None of his individual contributions reached $1,500. The highest amount received was two $500 contributions from Robert Spicer of Rock Springs and former Speaker of the House Albert Sommers, who received the Republican nomination for House District 20 following the election. 
Of his PAC contributions, the largest came from the Wyoming Education Association PAC, which provided $3,000. Another $2,000 came from the Workers’ Help in Politics PAC, with $1,500 being contributed by the Wyoming Realtors PAC and $1,000 from the Prosperity and Commerce PAC. Wamsley also received $750 from the Conpac Contractors PAC and two $500 contributions from Wyoming Hospital Association PAC and the Credit Union Political Action Committee.
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