Texas businessman Bill Flores (R) has given more than $300,000 to his House campaign in the state’s 17th district, where Rep. Chet Edwards (D) is seeking re-election.

Flores’ personal donations, which included a $250,000 loan and about $54,000 in contributions and in-kind payments, accounted for most of the $416,000 that he reported raising through the end of last month, according to a filing his campaign committee made Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.

Flores, who announced his candidacy in mid-December, also raised $112,000 from individual donors in the final days of 2009 and received a $1,000 donation from the political action committee of Texas-based Blue Bell Creameries. Flores’ campaign spent about $47,000 and began this month with $370,000 in the bank.