State Rep. Jim Dunnam’s latest challenger has raised more than any of his previous opponents since House District 57 was redrawn in 2001, a sign Republican Party leaders are making good on a pledge to target the Waco Democrat in November’s general election.

On the strength of donations from two GOP political action committees and a Dallas natural gas magnate, former Leon County Republican Party chair Marva Beck reported raising $166,000.

That amount is a few thousand dollars less than what Dunnam, the Democratic leader in the House, has raised, according to state campaign finance reports the candidates filed late Monday night.

The fundraising updates for the race, and for other state and local candidates, were due Monday and covered the period from July 1 through Sept. 23.

Beck, a Centerville rancher, has raised a total of $174,000 in the race, more than triple the amount Dunnam’s last GOP opponent, Jeffrey Hibbs in 2004, raised at this point in the election cycle.

About 90 percent of her donations came from three sources. The political arm of Texans for Lawsuit Reform donated about $60,000. Austin-based Associated Republicans of Texas’ PAC, which works to elect Republicans to the Legislature, gave $55,000.

Dallas billionaire and natural gas magnate Trevor Rees-Jones donated $35,000.

But Dunnam edged Beck, reporting $169,000 in donations and $104,000 in the bank, giving him a $15,000 lead over Beck in that category.

The Waco attorney’s large donors — the four who gave more than $10,000 — made up 36 percent of his total.

Houston lawyer Steve Mostyn’s firm gave Dunnam $25,000. Mostyn is president-elect of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the biggest Democratic donor in Texas this campaign cycle. He made millions representing the owners of properties damaged by hurricanes.

Dallas billionaire businessman Harold Simmons donated $15,000 to Dunnam’s campaign and Austin-based Texans for Insurance Reform — a group formed to serve as a counterweight to Texans for Lawsuit Reform — gave $10,500.

The Chickasaw Nation also gave $10,000 to Dunnam. The Oklahoma tribe has fought against an expansion of gambling in Texas, which could crimp business at its casinos across the Red River.

The report from the Libertarian in the race, Marlin’s Derek Johnson, was not available on the Texas Ethics Commission website by late Tuesday. He reported having raised no money in a previous fundraising report.

District 57 includes part of McLennan County and Falls, Leon, Madison and Robertson counties.

Its McLennan County portions include heavily Democratic East and South Waco, as well as part of North Waco, Bellmead, Mart and Riesel.

Money also was flowing in Waco’s other House race for District 56, which makes up the rest of McLennan County.

According to the fundraising reports, Republican state Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson raised $164,000, compared to about $69,000 for his Democrat challenger, John Mabry.

About $122,500 of Anderson’s haul came from Republican House Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio. Straus likely will have to vie for the support of his House colleagues next year to keep his leadership post.

Anderson also received $10,000 each from Houston homebuilder and Republican mega-donor Bob Perry and his wife, Doylene. The Waco veterinarian ended the fundraising period with $36,000 on hand, giving him the edge over Mabry, who had $22,000 in the bank.

Mabry, who held the District 56 seat for a term before losing to Anderson in 2004, received a $3,000 donation from the PAC for the Texas State Teachers Association, which gave the same amount to Dunnam.

The bulk of Mabry’s donations, however, came in the form of a $60,000 check from the House Democratic Campaign Committee, an Austin group with the mission of electing Democrats to the State House.

Neill Snider, a Waco mechanical contractor who’s running as a Libertarian in the race, reported raising no money.

mshapiro@wacotrib.com

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