With the election to fill a vacancy in the state House of Representatives coming down to its final days, campaign contribution reports expose a highly contentious race in a district where the last two elections were won without a challenge.

Local political heavyweight E. Culver “Rusty” Kidd has taken in $45,025.09 in his attempt to be the second generation of Kidd to represent Milledgeville-Baldwin County in the state House of Representatives.

But that money didn’t come entirely from well wishers, friends and colleagues who would like to roll with Rusty into the state capitol in January. Kidd contributed $20,000 toward his own independent campaign to beat out a field of Democratic and Republican rivals.

And although Kidd has said he ran as an independent so he wouldn’t be beholden to any political party, his campaign hasn’t been a completely non-partisan effort as he’s amassed donations from state Sen. Chip Rogers, R-Woodstock, $100; state Sen. Ronnie Chance, R-Tyrone, $500; and Democratic state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, $250.

But not all political interests need a (r) or (d) by their name. Kidd’s campaign collected $4,350 from eight political action committees including the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia, the Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals, GILA-Consumer Credit People for Responsible Government, Georgialink PAC for good government, GSA PAC Committee for responsible Health Care, Georgia Bankers PAC, Georgia Optometric Association PAC and the AIA SEINPAC-GA.

Organizations and associations representing business interests — including the Committee of Automobile Retail Dealers of Georgia, the Georgia Independent Automobile Dealers Association Inc., the Georgia Mining Association and several member businesses of the Georgia Industrial Loan Association — contributed $1,950.09 to see Kidd elected.

Kidd raised the other $17,875 from a who’s who of local, state and national people and businesses, with some notables including Dean Grant, Billy Brack, Milledgeville Mayor Richard Bentley, Jake Goldstein, Doyle Beckham and Pittman Wrecker.

Kidd also received $800 in in-kind contributions of barbecue from Chet Daniel, Jimmy Ivey, Mike Prosperi and Chester Gunby.

In that same period since Kidd filed his declaration of intention to accept contributions in June and Oct. 20, his campaign spent $21,368.71.

Of the total quoted above, Kidd spent $2,587.40 with local media outlets, including $1,734.15 with this publication, for campaign ads. In other disseminated materials — billboards, mail outs and campaign signs — Kidd spent $6,038.35.

Other costs included $8,951.51 in campaign consulting and $1,273.30 to hold an old-fashioned political barbecue earlier this month.

Supporters of Republican candidate Angie Gheesling-McCommon dug deep into wallets and pocketbooks to see Milledgeville-Baldwin County’s development czar represent the 141st District in the 2010 session of the General Assembly.

Gheesling brought in nine $1,000 — contributions from the likes of local business owner Randale Johnson, Magnolia State Bank President Tullie Jones, his wife Judy and the Friends of Jerry Keen PAC.

Keen is a Republican state representative from St. Simons Island who currently serves as the House Majority Leader in the state Legislature.

The PAC of the state House Majority Whip, Rep. Jan Jones, R-Alpharetta, contributed $500 to support Gheesling.