Topeka ? State ethics officials Thursday voted to let the Carla Stovall-Kent Glasscock campaign decide how to divide its political contributions now that Stovall has quit the governor’s race and Glasscock is considering taking her place at the top of the ticket.

The unanimous decision by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission directs the campaign’s treasurer “to make a good-faith estimate of what portion of the campaign funds belong to each candidate.”

The treasurer of the Stovall-Glasscock campaign is Greg Mathena, a Topeka funeral home director. Mathena also signed on Monday as the treasurer of Glasscock’s campaign for governor, according to papers filed with the Secretary of State’s Office. Mathena refused to comment on the Ethics Commission’s decision, referring questions to Glasscock’s campaign.

The question about the status of the campaign contributions arose Monday after Stovall, the state’s attorney general, dropped out of her bid for the Republican Party nomination for governor. Stovall said she didn’t want the job.

Glasscock, the House speaker, had been campaigning for lieutenant governor as her running mate and said the campaign war chest should automatically go to him. Stovall agreed.

But some disagreed, including State Treasurer Tim Shallenburger, who also seeks the GOP nod for governor.

Britt Nichols, an attorney from Wamego and former state lawmaker, told the Ethics Commission that the transfer of moneys from candidate to candidate was “like a private game of three-card monte.”

Nichols said the law was clear.

“Stovall candidate committee moneys are not available for any other candidate’s run for the governor’s mansion,” he said.

Unanimous vote

But with no debate, the Ethics Commission voted 7-0 to have the Stovall-Glasscock campaign treasurer determine the proportionate shares for Stovall and Glasscock.

“We think it’s a fair way to divide the money,” said Scott Holeman, a Glasscock spokesman.

Glasscock’s campaign manager, Kelly Levi, said that during the five months Stovall was running for governor, the campaign had spent $152,652. She also said there were still some expenses that had to be paid off from Stovall’s candidacy.

Both she and Holeman refused to say how much was currently in the campaign fund. As of Jan. 10, there was $302,000, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state. The next report must be filed in July.

Glasscock plans unclear

Holeman said Glasscock would return funds to contributors if they requested it. Conflicting signals arose Thursday from the Glasscock camp about whether he was running for governor.

Glasscock had given every intention of running for governor when it became apparent Stovall was exiting the campaign. He had planned an announcement later this week, but now that has been postponed to next week.

Holeman said Glasscock was “weighing his options.”

The moderate wing of the Republican Party has been reeling since Stovall’s decision to drop from the race. On Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer slammed the door shut on a possible bid. Now the question of the campaign funds and whether Glasscock will run added to the confusion surrounding the moderates.

Dan Bloom, former school superintendent of Eudora who is running for the Republican Party nomination, attended the Ethics Commission hearing and said he found all the political maneuvering unimportant while the state was struggling with a budget crisis.

“What we really need is leadership,” Bloom said.

Wichita Mayor Bob Knight also is running for the Republican Party nomination for governor. Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius is the lone Democrat in the race. Primaries are Aug. 6.