UPDATE: Rowe, Poliquin release financial data

 Republican Bruce Poliquin, a candidate for governor, reports contributions of $277,265 in the first reporting period of 2009, according to a press release he sent out today.

 Of that, $159,913 is his own money and $117,351 came from 449 donors.

 And this afternoon, Democrat Steve Rowe said he raised $59,232.60 in the first three weeks of his campaign. Rowe, a former attorney general, called it a "record first month," and said 91 percent of his money came from in-state donors.

 Poliquin, who lives in Georgetown but grew up in Waterville, has been busy traveling the state in a large RV to get support for his campaign. He has experience as an investment manager and has owned other businesses, including “an environmentally-sensitive housing development,” according to the bio on his Web site.

 Poliquin and Rowe released their financial data a week before the July 15 filing deadline with the state ethics commission. Candidates are required to report money raised and spent through June 30.

 We’ll find out next week how they stack up against the nine other candidates who have entered the 2010 race so far.