On the campaign trail: Who is funding the 2023 Nashville mayoral race?

As Nashville enters the last week of early voting, mayoral races — and campaign spending — are ramping up for a final push to the finish line (or, at least, a shot at the September runoff election).

A recent poll commissioned by a union-backed political action committee indicated 23% of Nashville voters remain undecided on their choice for Nashville's next mayor. Television ads, mailers, email blasts, and social media blitzes are vying to win over those undecided voters in the final days before the Aug. 3 election.

But who is funding that campaign spending? We took a look at public records to find out.

Who is funding the 2023 mayoral race?

A handful of political action committees — tax-exempt organizations that pool donations to make contributions intended to help elect or defeat candidates — donated to two or more mayoral candidates on the 2023 ballot.

Southwest Value Partners, whose properties include Nashville Yards, Grand Hyatt Nashville, and Union Station Hotel, back a PAC called "A Better Tomorrow." The PAC donated $2,500 each to Heidi Campbell, Jim Gingrich (who has suspended his campaign), Freddie O'Connell, Matt Wiltshire, and Jeff Yarbro, according to state disclosure reports.

A Better Tomorrow also contributed $100,000 to "A Better Nashville," a PAC tied to the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and John Ingram that injected more than $200,000 into Metro Council races during this election cycle.

H.G. Hill Realty PAC contributed a total $11,400 to O'Connell, Wiltshire and Yarbro this year.

Jimmy Granberry, chairman and CEO of HG Hill Realty Co., was recently reappointed to the newly-reconstructed Metro Nashville Airport Authority board, which took office on June 30. A new state law turned over most of the board's appointments to state officials last month, unseating five members previously appointed by Mayor John Cooper.

Metro is suing the state to block the law, claiming its override of local power violates the state constitution. Meanwhile, a second board composed of the ousted members has continued to meet. Nashville developer Tony Giarratana (who made donations to several candidates) is also among those chosen by state officials to serve on the new board.

Matt Wiltshire

Wiltshire, who leads the field in total funds raised (roughly $2.25 million over the course of his campaign), received at least $44,600 from nine PACS, according to state and candidate disclosure records. His top three PAC contributions include $9,400 from H.G. Hill Realty PAC (the maximum donation allowed for PACs in local elections), $9,300 from Barge Design Solutions Inc. PAC, and $8,900 from Ragan Smith Associates Inc. PAC.

Wiltshire also received contributions from at least two dozen LLCs or businesses in the second quarter, including several building and development groups and a handful of Nashville bars, some of which are owned by Brenda Sanderson.

As of June 30, Wiltshire's team reported receiving nearly 3,500 contributions from more than 2,300 unique donors. His second-quarter report featured many contributions from business owners, executives, CEOs, real estate professionals, attorneys, consultants, and investors.

Wiltshire's campaign coffers include a personal loan of just under $349,000.

Notable donors include: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Bob Martineau (around $1,800), state Judge Walt Kurtz (1,800), Midtown Cafe owner Randy Rayburn ($1,800), approximately $2,800 from two employees of development firm Giarratana LLC, PATHE Director Jacqueline Sims (about $1,500), Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee CEO Hal Cato ($1,250), Titans Chief External & League Affairs Officer Adolpho Birch ($1,000), Colliers International Nashville CEO Janet Miller ($1,000), $1,000 from Friends of Caleb Hemmer (state representative, D-Nashville), Metro Council member Robert Nash (about $800), Convention Center Authority attorney Charles Robert Bone ($800), Metro Fair Board Chair Sheri Weiner ($250), state Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville ($250), and Metro Human Relations Executive Director Davie Tucker ($200).

Freddie O'Connell

Freddie O'Connell has raised $712,083 over the course of his more than yearlong campaign.

O'Connell has received at least $12,500 from six PACs, with the top three contributions coming from Waller Lansden PAC ($5,000), A Better Tomorrow ($2,500) and $2,000 each from Gresham Smith PAC and Tennessee Laborers' PAC.

O'Connell also saw second-quarter contributions from other elected officials' PACs and campaign accounts, including $1,100 from Venick for Council Campaign, $500 from Sandra Sepulveda for Council, $500 from Bill Beck for State Rep and $250 from Friends of Sheri Weiner.

Among O'Connell's contributions from LLCs and businesses are The Johnny Cash Museum ($1,800), an LLC connected to Nudie's Honky Tonk ($1,800), real estate businesses and law offices.

Notable donors include: John Ingram ($1,800), Stephanie Ingram ($1,232.70), Bridgestone Communications Director Emily Weaver ($1,800), Lisa Giarratana ($1,300), former Ryman Hospitality CEO Colin Reed ($1,000), JIGSAW consulting firm co-founder Sam Reed ($1,000), William Freeman of Freeman Webb ($1,000), former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry ($700), former presidential hopeful Andrew Yang ($500), Silicon Ranch Project Development Associate Patrick Ferrell ($425), Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms Executive Director Rebecca Ratz ($350), Judge William Higgins ($350), Judge Jim Todd ($250), and state Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville ($250).

Jeff Yarbro

Jeff Yarbro entered the final stretch of his mayoral campaign with nearly $510,000 on hand, the most of any candidate. He raised $351,441 during the second quarter. His coffers include a personal loan of $50,000.

Yarbro received at least $36,100 from 19 PACs, according to finance disclosures. His largest contributions came from Bivens & Associates lobbying firm ($5,000), United Food and Commercial Workers International ($5,000), and SHOW PAC ($4,600), a PAC funded by Haury & Smith CFO Joshua Morris and two horse trainers from Riverbend Country Club in Shelbyville. Haury & Smith Contractors Board Chairman Stephen B. Smith is listed as the SHOW PAC's contact.

Yarbro also reported receiving $1,000 each from Friends of Darren Jernigan (state representative, D-Old Hickory) and the Committee to Elect Judge Joe Binkley Jr.

His contributions from LLCs and businesses include $1,000 from public affairs and communications firm Paramount Strategies and $1,800 from Bart Durham Injury Law.

Individual contributions feature several donations from state employees.

Notable donors include: Anthony Giarratana ($1,800), Sam Reed of JIGSAW ($1,800), Evan Holladay of Holladay Ventures ($1,800), lobbyist James Weaver ($1,000), former Ryman Hospitality CEO Colin Reed ($1,000), Joe Hall of Hall Strategies ($1,000), former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry ($500), U.S. Congressman Wiley Nickel ($250), state Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville ($250), and Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway ($100).

Vivian Wilhoite

Vivian Wilhoite raised just under $71,000 in the second quarter and reported nearly $39,000 on hand as of June 30.

She reported receiving $1,000 from the Funk Leadership PAC and $1,000 from Big M's LLC.

Individual contributions included numerous donations from Metro employees and several contributions from state employees.

Notable donors include: Anthony Giarratana ($1,800), Committee to Elect Judge Joe Binkley, Jr. ($1,000), state Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville ($250), Criminal Court Clerk Howard Gentry ($150), and Judge Allegra Walker ($100).

Alice Rolli

Rolli's $171,213 in reported second-quarter earnings contained no contributions from LLCs, but received at least $7,000 from six PACs, many of which are connected to Republican state officials.

She reported $145,839 in personal loans to her campaign.

Rolli received $2,500 from JCB PAC, which is funded by several political action committees in the television, communications and engineering industries.

She received $1,800 from state Rep. Jake McCalmon (R-Franklin), $1,500 from a PAC connected to state Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), $1,000 from the Reeves Family PAC (connected to state Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Bedford, Cannon, Moore and Rutherford Counties), $1,000 from Key PAC (connected to state Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston), $1,000 from "JACK PACK" connected to state Sen. Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), $1,000 from Mark Pody for Senate, $1,000 from state Sen. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains), $500 from Republican-affiliated PB-PAC, and $250 from Briggs for Senate (connected to state Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville).

Separate from Rolli's campaign, the Save Nashville PAC has purchased roughly $56,000 in television ads touting Rolli as a leader who will "protect Nashville" from becoming a "failing city" and fully staff and support police in Nashville. The PAC reserved more than $150,000 in TV ads leading up to election day, according to The Nashville Banner. The Tennessee Lookout raised questions about the PAC's lack of disclosure filings from Jan. 16 through June 30 (Federal Communication Commission records show the group placed orders for ads within that time period).

Notable donors include: $1,800 each from Tina and Mike Hodges (of payday lending company Advance Financial and sports betting company Action 24/7), Cumberland Oil President Richard Cummins Jr. ($1,800), Lee Ann Ingram/Riverview Farm ($1,000), David Ingram of Ingram Entertainment ($1,000), Pfizer Vice President Josh Brown ($1,000), CoreCivic executive Anthony Grande ($500), Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson ($500), HCA Vice President of Labor & Employee Relations Thomas Beck ($500), Leadership Nashville CEO and Executive Director Evette White ($500), and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Director Esther Aguirre ($500).

Sharon Hurt

Hurt raised about $103,700 in the second quarter and entered the final campaign stretch with nearly $97,500 on hand.

She received at least $19,000 from seven PACs, according to campaign finance records.

Her top three PAC contributors were The Maynard Group PAC ($7,500), Waller Lansden PAC ($6,000) and Gresham Smith PAC ($2,000). She also received $1,000 each from JIGSAW PAC (associated with lobbying firm JIGSAW) and 1st and Tenn. PAC (backed by the Tennessee Titans), in addition to just over $1,000 from the Elect Black Women PAC.

Hurt received $250 from Friends of Sheri Weiner and $100 from Friends of Allegra Walker.

Among a handful of business donations was a $500 contribution from Bristol Motor Speedway, $500 from law firm Neal & Harwell and $1,000 from residential development company Hart Love Enterprises.

Notable donors include: lobbyist James Weaver ($1,750), Titans Chief External & League Affairs Officer Adolpho Birch ($1,800), Nashville Davidson County Register of Deeds Karen Johnson ($550), state Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville ($250), and former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry ($250).

Heidi Campbell

Heidi Campbell pulled in nearly $327,000 in the second quarter after her later entry to the race. She finished quarter two with about $149,000 on hand.

Campbell received at least $17,750 from 11 PACs, with the largest contributions coming from Ironworkers Local Union PAC ($5,000), A Better Tomorrow ($2,500) and $2,000 each from Tennessee Laborers' PAC and Gresham Smith PAC.

Her donations also include $1,000 each from the JIGSAW PAC (representing the lobbying firm of the same name) and 1st and Tenn PAC (backed by the Tennessee Titans).

She also received multiple contributions from PAC and campaign accounts associated with other elected officials, including:

• $1,800 each from Friends of Bob Freeman, Friends of John Ray Clemmons and Friends of Bo Mitchell

• $1,000 from Friends of Caleb Hemmer

• $500 from Friends of Sara Kyle (plus an additional $500 from Yellow Rose PAC, which is affiliated with Kyle)

• $250 from Friends of Sheri Weiner

• $100 from Venick for Council Campaign

Campbell received several donations from businesses and LLCs, including contributions from hospitality and music organizations and a $500 donation from Honky Tonk Express LLC.

Notable donations include: William Freeman of Freeman Webb ($1,800), Honky Tonk Express owner Paul Rosenblatt ($1,000), Anthony Giarratana ($1,000), lobbyist James Weaver ($1,000), John Ingram ($1,000), Titans Chief External & League Affairs Officer Adolpho Birch ($1,000), former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry ($250), and state Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville ($100).

Halfway through early voting, ballot count tops 26K

At the close of voting Monday, 26,775 Nashvillians had cast their ballot, equating to about 6.5% of active voters in Davidson County.

Early voting remains open through Saturday, July 29. A list of hours and locations is available at www.nashville.gov/departments/elections.

In 2019, 48,715 people voted early — about 12% of active voters. Another 53,087 voters cast their ballots at the polls on election day that year, for a total of 101,802.

Metro's August 2015 election saw a larger turnout with 53,995 people voting early and another 50,696 voting on election day, totaling 104,691.

Nashville voter guide 2023: Our hub for mayoral, Council election coverage

Dates to know for 2023 election

• July 14-29: Early voting

• July 27: Last day to request an absentee ballot

• Aug. 3: General election day

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville mayor's race 2023: Who are the biggest donors, PACs?