PACs. Politicians. County employees. See who’s contributing to Canyon GOP candidates

The latest reports of campaign contributions in Canyon County GOP primary-election contests paint a picture of special-interest PACs donating thousands of dollars to favored candidates and county staff members doing the same in races involving their current or potential future employers.

The two candidates for Canyon County prosecutor are far outpacing the campaign fundraising efforts of all other candidates in the county’s Republican primary races.

Chris Boyd, former Adams County prosecuting attorney, raised over $20,000 in campaign donations by the latest monthly campaign- report deadline on May 10. His opponent, Greg Chaney, former member of the Idaho House, raised a bit less than half as much, $9,500.

In the other two contested primaries, the candidate with the most in donations raised $5,300.

Idaho Families, Think Liberty PACs contribute

Most of Boyd’s donations came from individuals, who donated over $16,000. He received $2,000 from two political action committees, Idaho Families PAC and Think Liberty Idaho PAC.

Idaho Families PAC is run by Emily McClure, a charter school lobbyist. According to the Idaho Secretary of State’s campaign finance website, the PAC donated to both Democrats and Republicans running for legislative offices. It is funded by Joseph Scott, the founding chairman of the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, whose philanthropy includes help for charter schools.

Think Liberty Idaho PAC is run by John Heida, a Canyon County precinct committeeman, and which “supports individual freedom, limited government, fiscal responsibility, the rule of law,” according to its website.

The only contribution made to the PAC in 2024 was from SMC Properties LLC, which donated $10,000. An Idaho Capital Sun report found the company is connected to Money Metals Exchange in Eagle, which is run by Stefan Gleason. In 2022, SMC Properties contributed $88,500 to Citizens Alliance of Idaho, which was one of Idaho’s largest PACS in the 2022 primary election and was affiliated with the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Money Metals Exchange also donated $20,000 to the Idaho Freedom PAC, which is run by the Idaho Freedom Foundation and backs hard-right candidates, according to the Capital Sun.

Idaho Chooses Life, Crookham donate

Chaney contributed most of his campaign money himself. But he received $3,500 from individual donors. He got $1,000 from Idaho Chooses Life, a PAC that supports pro-life candidates; and $1,000 from Crookham Co., a sweet-corn seed company in Caldwell. He received other donations from notable Republican political figures like former Idaho Attorney General Jim Jones and former Idaho Republican Party Chairman Tom Luna, each of whom donated $500.

County lawyer donates as ‘Screw Greg Chenny’

The Canyon County prosecutor’s race has garnered attention statewide, with high-profile endorsements and scathing negative advertisements. The negativity spilled over into Boyd’s March campaign finance report, where he listed one of his contributors as “Screw Greg chenny,” instead of the contributor’s name. The entry misspelled Chaney’s last name.

According to documents obtained by the Idaho Statesman, Chaney filed a formal complaint with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office about the name.

“On Boyd’s March 2024 sunshine report he lists an anonymous contribution in violation of the prohibition on anonymous contributions,” he wrote. “An entry … shows that the person donating $100 is named ‘Screw Greg chenny.’ I am reasonably certain this is not a real person’s name.”

Idaho law prohibits campaign contributions under a fictitious name.

Canyon County Clerk Rick Hogaboam found that Boyd did list the donation under a fictitious name, according to an email he sent Boyd, which the Statesman obtained. The law required Boyd to refile his March sunshine report and pay a fine up to $250. According to Hogaboam’s email, he ordered Boyd to pay a $50 fine.

The fictitious contributor was James Haws, an attorney in the Canyon County prosecutor’s office, according to Boyd’s sunshine report. In an email, Boyd told the Statesman that the donation was made through his website under the name “Screw Greg chenny.”

“The donation did not state the person’s real name,” Boyd said. “I intended to investigate further and discover the real name since I did have the address, but I still needed to log the donation. I logged it as it was written with the intent to discover the correct name as soon as I could do so.”

A PAC formed in April and run by Kevin E. Dinius, an employment lawyer who runs Dinius and Associates in Nampa, is buying anti-Chaney advertisements. The group, named Idaho Citizens Against Foolish Politics, reported taking a $6,170 loan from David P. Ford of Nampa. The money paid for ads in the Idaho Press and two companies that operate local radio stations.

Caldwell substitute teacher outpaces incumbent

Pam Blacker Wagoner, a substitute teacher from Caldwell running to unseat incumbent District 1 Commissioner Leslie Van Beek, is outraising both her opponents with $5,300.

Wagoner has notable donations from Chris Yamamoto and his wife, Arlene, who each donated $500. Yamamoto was the longtime Canyon County clerk who resigned in January for reasons neither he nor other county officials have disclosed. He was one of eight elected officials who signed a letter in 2022 calling for Van Beek’s resignation.

Wagoner also received a donation from Lori Bishop, who is running for a state Senate seat against Tami Nichols, the incumbent, in the Legislature’s District 10, which represents Caldwell.

Van Beek raised over $4,200 by the deadline. She had a notable donation from Canyon County Chief Operating Officer Greg Rast, who contributed $150.

Theresa Denham, a Middleton business consultant and real estate agent, is neck-and-neck in fundraising with her opponents. She raised nearly $3,900, by the deadline. She has a $1,000 donation from Crookham Co., though most of her contributors were individuals donating $200 or less.

District 1 covers Middleton and east Caldwell. Candidates for the county commission must live in their districts, but they are elected countywide. The District 1 winner will serve a two-year term.

In the race for District 3 commissioner, incumbent Zach Brooks raised $3,000, with large donations from Lurre Construction Inc., Tradition Capital Partners and Mills & Co. Realty Inc. He too received a $150 donation from Rast.

Brooks’ opponent in the primary election, Richard Williams, had not raised any money for his campaign by the deadline.

In the general election, the Republican will face Kyle Thompson, a information technology engineer and Democrat, who raised $390 in donations by the April deadline.

District 3 covers Nampa. The District 3 winner will serve a four-year term.

Dueling endorsements. Attack ads. Campaigns for Canyon prosecutor reflect GOP discord

Who’s got your vote for Canyon County commissioner? See the candidates and what they say