Inside Lansing’s political inner circle, it’s never too early to talk about the next big election, right?
As a result, MIRS took a look at some of the key political action committee and candidate committee fundraising activities for the most recent reporting period.
The potential 2018 GOP gubernatorial candidates Attorney General Bill SCHUETTE, Senate Majority Leader Arlan MEEKHOF (R-West Olive), Retiring U.S. Rep. Candice MILLER and Lt. Gov. Brian CALLEY all ended with significant “cash-on-hand” balances of over $440,000. Possible Democrat candidates were quite far behind.
Here’s the run down:
Schuette For Michigan Fund raised $802,969 so far this election cycle, $300,474 for the last cycle and closed books with an ending balance of $604,850.98.
Top contributors to Schuette this cycle were the Michigan Chamber of Commerce PAC, Auto Dealers of Michigan PAC and Meijer PAC, which all gave $10,000. DTE Energy donated $9,000 and John C.KENNEDY III, CEO of Autocam Medical Corporation, Mickey SHAPIRO, real estate developer and Jerrold M. JUNG, Chairman of Adaptive Inc. each gave $6,800.
Senate Majority Leader Arlan MEEKHOF (R-West Olive) raised $32,350 in his Moving Michigan Forward PAC for a total of $47,850 for the election cycle. That fund ended with $49,986.42 in cash on hand. Meekhof’s second PAC, Moving Michigan Forward II, reported raising $56,850 for the reporting period and $112,850 for the election cycle. Moving Michigan Forward II ended the period with $280,020.82 in cash on hand.
Meekhof, who is term-limited after his current term, reported raising $11,050 for the reporting period for a total of $39,300 for the election cycle. He ended the reporting period with $40,270 in cash on hand. Combining all three of Meekhof’s funds, he has $370,277.24 in cash on hand.
Major donors to the Moving Michigan Forward PAC included Michael OLTHOFF, an executive with Nicols Paper & Supply, Larry HINES, an executive with Hines Corp., Donald T. JARKSEN, and Sandi GENTRYall gave $2,500. Big donors to the Moving Michigan Forward II PAC were led by Jim NICHOLSON, president of PVS chemicals who gave $10,000. He was followed by the Michigan Chamber PAC, Blue Cross and Blue Shield and homemaker Michelle CARROLL which each gave $5,000.
Retiring U.S. Rep. Candice MILLER, who’s running for Macomb County Public Works Director, reported raising $230,288, transferred in $300,000 and had expenditures of $53,547. She reported having cash on hand of $476,740.65.
Lt. Gov. Brian CALLEY‘s Brian Calley For Michigan fund raised $167,950 this reporting period for a total of $500,015 cumulative for the election cycle. The PAC ended the reporting period with $457,574 in the bank.
Calley’s big contributors of this cycle were Ed FLETCHER, the CEO of RX-Optical, Ric COOPER, who retired from Dancing Bear Farms, and Cynthia PASKY, CEO of Strategic Staffing Solutions which each gave $6,800.
Secretary of State Ruth JOHNSON‘s committee, Ruth Johnson for Michigan, reported raising $5,125 this cycle for an election cycle total of $693,094.33. She ended with $27,082.18 in cash on hand.
Former Senate Minority Leader Gretchen WHITMER‘s Whitmer Leadership Fund reported raising $33,865 during the last reporting cycle for a total raised this cycle of $45,915. Her fund ended the cycle with $39,724 in cash on hand.
The larger contributors to Whitmer’s fund came from the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers as well as the Michigan Association of Health Plans.
Detroit Mayor Mike DUGGAN‘s Turnaround Detroit Super PAC showed no activity this cycle.
Dan KILDEE‘ federal PAC, Michigan’s Future PAC, reported raising $12,000 this reporting cycle for a total this year of $18,000. The PAC ended the reporting period with $1,162. 89 in cash on hand.
Major donors to Michigan’s Future PAC included Chickasaw Nation and Pokagon Band of Potowatomi Indians, who both gave $5,000 to the PAC.