The two Democratic Supreme Court candidates, and presumed nominees, have raised around $2 million combined going into the Aug. 24 Democratic Party convention, while all five Republicans, combined, have raised $147,000 prior to their convention, according to numbers released by Tuesday’s campaign finance deadline.
The lopsided reports filed with the Secretary of State’s office Tuesday shows incumbent Justice Kyra Bolden having raised $1.14 million from 3,339 individual contributors. She enters the campaign season with $920,680 in the bank. The other Democratic candidate, Kimberly Thomas, raised $826,603 from Jan. 1 to Aug. 8 from 2,098 contributors, including union PACs, the Governor’s Building Bridges PAC, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s Michigan Legacy PAC and individuals across the country.
Meanwhile, it’s a much different story for Republican candidates. For the four-year term against Bolden, Judge William Patrick O’Grady raised $21,790 from 36 donations. He gave $7,533 to the campaign. Alexandria Taylor gave $8,018 to her campaign and ended up with $8,119 in money raised. And, most surprising, was former Attorney General nominee Matt DePerno, who raised $136.44 among three separate donations. He’s got $47.87 in the bank.
In the open seat, Rep. Andrew Fink (R-Osseo) reported raising $81,507 from 153 contributors. Of that, $17,841 is what he has leftover. Fink didn’t loan his campaign anything. At the moment, Fink raised more than twice that of his convention opponent, Appellate Judge Mark Boonstra, who brought in $35,230, with $22,621 coming from his own wallet.
Fink and Boonstra are running for the full eight-year term.
University of Michigan Regents
The funding disparity continued in the University of Michigan race, where Democrats Shauna Ryder Diggs raised $49,770 while incumbent Denise Ilitch didn’t file. Republicans Ron Weiser and Carl Meyers filed a reporting waiver while Sevag Vartanian didn’t file anything.
Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Democrat Rebecca Bahar Cook raised $6,686 while former Rep. Thomas Stallworth reported raising nothing. Republican incumbent Dan Kelly raised $24,507 and has $13,796 in cash on hand. The other two Republicans in the race – Julue Maday and Michael Balow – hadn’t filed by 11:52 p.m.
Wayne State University Board of Governors
Democrat Rasha Demashkieh and incumbent Mark Gaffney have yet to report any money raised. Republicans Sunny Reddy raised $5,250, incumbent Michael Busuito filed for a reporting waiver and Jeffrey Vega has yet to report.
Board of Education
Republican incumbent Nikki Snyder reported raising nothing, while incumbent Tom McMillin raised $3,500 and has $3,170 in cash on hand. Candidate Maria Grurich didn’t file. On the Democratic side, both candidates — Adam Zemke and Ted Jones — failed to file a report.
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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