Jim Roth continues to lead in raising money for his bid to win a full six-year term on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, campaign reports show.

Contributors include Tim Gill, a top gay and lesbian equal rights movement fundraiser, who gave the maximum donation of $5,000.

Gill, an entrepreneur and software developer from Denver, was among those identified by state Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City, as helping contribute $30 million in 2006 to local and state races to help defeat conservative candidates.

Tim GIll has been said to be “the nexus of an aggressive new force in national politics”, so his involvement in Oklahoma races has to make you wonder what his special interest is in this particular candidate.

Roth, a former Oklahoma County commissioner, raised $100,141 during the first quarter of this year, according to his campaign committee’s report filed with the state Ethics Commission. He had $112,482 at the start of the reporting period. He spent $44,298 during the reporting period from Jan. 1 through March 31, his reports show. He has $174,475 on hand.

In addition to Gill, major contributors listed on Roth’s report include Edmond attorney Reggie Whitten, Denver entrepreneur Jared Polis, and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., retiree James Stepp, $5,000 each; El Reno attorney Mark Henricksen, $3,000; and Ronald Ansin, a business executive from Harvard, Mass., $2,500.

Food for thought…