Election financing: Who gave the most to Cape Fear state legislators?
This month, voters across the Cape Fear region headed to the polls on Election Day to elect their representatives in the N.C. State Legislature.
The results showed broad support for politicians with experience serving in Raleigh. Although some of the races remained tight on election night, each incumbent running for reelection prevailed.
The biggest money flowed to the District 7 North Carolina State Senate fight with each candidate raising more than $1 million, with most of the funds coming from their respective political parties.
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A week before Election Day, on Nov. 1, all candidates running in the general election were required to submit campaign finance documents showing any donations to their campaign during the third quarter of the year -- a period that runs from July 1, 2022 to Oct. 22, 2022.
The filings show who donated to each campaign and how much each candidate raised in the weeks leading up to the election. All information is based on candidate filings with the North Carolina Board of Elections.
N.C. State Senate District 7
The race to represent District 7 in the North Carolina State Senate came down to the wire as vote totals remained tight on election night.
In the end, Republican incumbent Michael Lee pulled ahead of Democratic challenger Marcia Morgan to win the race by a margin of roughly 2,100 votes. Lee won 51.22% or 44,336 votes while Morgan, a former educator and retired U.S. Army colonel, received 48.78% or 42,226 votes.
During the hotly contested campaign, Lee and Morgan sparred publicly. Lee, a Wilmington lawyer, sued Morgan last month over what he called a “false” and “defamatory” television ad, which alleged Lee used his political position to support his law firm's real estate clients.
Lee, who was reelected to his fourth term in the state senate, will represent the newly redrawn District 7 -- an area that encompasses nearly all of New Hanover County, except for a stretch near downtown Wilmington.
Here’s how donations to each campaign stacked up in the months ahead of Election Day:
Lee
Third quarter total: $1,339,058.79
Number of third quarter contributions: 258
Largest third quarter contribution: $1,000,405.84 from the North Carolina Senate Majority Fund
Smallest third quarter contribution: $15
Top Donors
North Carolina Senate Majority Fund: $1,000,405.84 - Lee received around $670,000 in funds and more than $330,000 of in kind contributions, including funding for mailings, design and legal fees.
Michael Lee: $7,845.57 - Lee gave more than $7,800 of in kind contributions to his campaign during the third quarter, including the purchase of food and drinks for a fundraiser.
Several political committees gave $5,600
Anesthesiologists of the Triad PAC
Brent Jackson for N.C. Senate
Dave Craven for N.C
East Carolina Anesthesia Associates PLLC
ECE PAC
Lower Cape Fear Republican Women’s Club
N.C. Advocates for Justice
N.C. Realtors PAC
N.C. Red PAC
N.C. State Farm Agents
Several individual donors that gave $5,600
April Eshelman
Fred Eshelman - Eshelman is the founder and former CEO of PPD. He’s also founded healthcare investment company Eshelman Ventures LLC and has a history of giving to GOP campaigns.
Bobby Huckabee - Huckabee is listed as an entrepreneur with Southland Amusements.
Michael Jacobs - Jacobs is a CEO and investment banker with Jacobs Capital.
D. Logan - Logan is president of Logan Homes.
Lara Logan
Robert Luddy - Luddy is a business executive with CaptiveAire Systems, a manufacturer of kitchen ventilation and HVAC systems.
Kendall Oliver - Oliver is a principal at Oliver Development LLC.
Barron Thomas Young - Young is a real estate developer at South Shore Real Estate.
Landon Zimmer - Zimmer is in-house counsel at Zimmer Development Company.
Morgan
Third quarter total: $1,566,148
Number of third quarter contributions: 1,679
Largest third quarter contribution: $1,315,490.33 from North Carolina Democratic Party
Smallest third quarter contribution: $1
Top donors
North Carolina Democratic Party: $1,315,490.33 - Morgan received more than $255,000 of in kind donations, including mailings, online ads and research. She got more than $1 million in other funding from the party.
Mary Webber Baggett: $5,600 - Baggett is the owner of the Blockade Runner Hotel in Wrightsville Beach. She gave $1,000 in funding to Morgan and made up the rest of her $5,600 contribution with in kind event catering, according to financial filings.
Emily’s List: $5,600
Planned Parenthood Votes North Carolina PAC: $5,600
Karla Jurvetson: $5,600 - Jurvestson is listed as a self-employed physician with an address in Los Altos, CA. Jurvetson is on the board of directors at Emily’s List.
Nancy O'Donohue: $5,600 - O'Donohue is a retired nurse.
John Sall: $5,600 - Sall is listed as an executive with SAS Institute, a software analytics company he founded.
Virginia Sall: $5,600
Progressive Turnout Project: $5,000 - The group provided in kind contributions of salaries and benefits for campaign staff.
Work for Democracy: $4,500
N.C. State Senate District 8
Republican incumbent Bill Rabon ran unopposed to represent District 8 in the N.C. State Senate – an area that encompasses Brunswick and Columbus counties along with part of New Hanover.
Rabon received 67,141 votes or 100% of the ballots cast, according to unofficial results from the state board of elections. Rabon was elected to his seventh term in the state senate. He was first elected in 2011.
Here’s how donations to Rabon’s campaign stacked up in the months ahead of Election Day:
Third quarter total: $200,890.00
Number of third quarter contributions: 103
Largest third quarter contribution: $10,000 from Mark Craig
Smallest third quarter contribution: $40
Top donors
Mark Craig: $10,000 - Craig is the president of R.H. Barringer Distributing Company, a Raleigh-based beverage distributor.
Stephen Windham: $7,500 - Windham is chairman of the N.C. Wildlife Commission.
Duke Energy Corporation PAC: $5,600
East Carolina Anesthesia Associates PLLC PAC: $5,600
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: $5,600
N.C. Automobile Dealers Association: $5,600
N.C. Farm Bureau PAC: $5,600
North Carolina Healthcare Facilities Association PAC: $5,600
North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association PAC
Several individual contributions of $5,600
Robert Exum
Robert Huckabee
Anthony Kearey
Jack Page
Matthew Allan Penley
Charles Trefzger, Jr.: - Trafzger is listed as a self-employed lawyer.
Edward Wetherill - Wetherill is an engineer with Wetherill Engineering.
Barron Thomas Young
N.C. House of Representatives District 17
Republican incumbent Frank Iler won reelection to his seventh term in the N.C. state house of representatives over Democratic challenger Eric Terashima.
Iler won 62.4% of the vote while Terashima received 37.6%. Vote totals were 27,797 for Iler and 16,752 for Terashima. Iler was elected to represent District 17 in the house of representatives. The district encompasses the western part of Brunswick County.
Here’s how donations to each campaign stacked up in the months ahead of Election Day:
Iler
Third quarter total: $42,263.43
Number of third quarter contributions: 28
Largest third quarter contribution: $5,600 from Barron Thomas Young and Thomas Young, Jr.
Smallest third quarter contribution: $50
Top Donors
Barron Thomas Young: $5,600 - Young is self-employed in the real estate industry.
Thomas Young, Jr.: $5,600 - Young is listed as a self-employed land developer.
Carolina Asphalt Pavement Association PAC: $5,000
N.C. Realtors PAC: $5,000
Mason Anderson: $4,250 - Anderson works in real estate with Caw Caw Land Corporation.
George Sloane III: $4,000 - Sloane is a realtor with Sloane Realty.
N.C. Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, Rural Electric Action Program: $2,000
Whitney Sloane Sauls: $1,400 - Sauls works in real estate and property management with Sloane Realty.
Robert Hill: $1,000 - Hill is a developer with Riptide Builders.
E. Stephen Stroud: $1,000 - Stroud is the senior executive vice president with Raleigh-based NAI Tri Properties.
CSX Corporation Good Government Fund: $1,000
JM Family Enterprises Inc. PAC: $1,000
Terashima
Third quarter total: $26,891.47
Number of third quarter contributors: 164
Largest third quarter contribution: $5,000 from Progressive Turnout Project
Smallest third quarter contribution: $5
Top Donors
Progressive Turnout Project: $5,000 - The group made an in kind contribution to pay for an intern to work on Terashima’s campaign.
Southern States PBA PAC Fund: $4,000
Linda Gallo: $1,200
Anna Blizzard: $1,000
Eric Terashima: $908.07 - Terashima gave $65 in cash contributions to his campaign along with in kind contributions that included food for a pig picking event, campaign t-shirts, signs and bumper stickers.
Shelley Allen: $860 - Allen is listed as a self-employed educator.
Sonya Bennetone: $600 - Bennetone is listed as a consultant with VIP and Associates.
Sanjay Batish: $501
Judith Mack: $500
Dale Edward Todd: $500
N.C. House of Representatives District 18
In a competitive race, Democratic incumbent Deb Butler won reelection to state legislature over Republican challenger and political newcomer John Hinnant.
Butler will represent District 18 in the state’s house of representatives – an area that encircles parts of northwestern New Hanover County, including downtown Wilmington.
Butler received 18,809 votes or 53.09% of the ballots cast while Hinnant won 16,622 or 46.91% of the overall vote.
Here’s how donations to each campaign stacked up in the months ahead of Election Day:
Butler
Third quarter total: $86,351.46
Number of third quarter contributors: 807
Largest third quarter contribution: $5,000 from Progressive Turnout Project
Smallest third quarter contribution: $1
Top donors
Progressive Turnout Project: $5,000 - An in kind donation to pay for campaign fellows
Planned Parenthood Votes NC PAC: $2,000
Sister District Project Federal PAC: $1520.11 - An in kind donation of staff time
Lillian's List PAC: $1,000
N.C. Association of Electric Cooperatives: $1,000
N.C. Association of CPAs: $1,000
N.C. Nurses Anesthetists Association: $1,000
N.C. Sierra Club PAC: $1,000
Margaret Weller-Stargell: $1,809.34 - Weller-Stargell, president and CEO of Coastal Horizons, made an in kind donation to Butler’s campaign by hosting a meet and greet fundraiser.
Cindi Valentine: $2,000 - Valentine is a real estate agent with Intracoastal Realty.
Robin Johnson: $1,650 - Johnson is listed as a self-employed college admissions coach.
Gustavo Ibarra: $1,100 - Ibarra, owner of Buen Dia restaurant, made an in kind donation to Butler’s campaign by hosting a meet and greet fundraiser.
Craig Bicknell: $1,000 - Bicknell is a self-employed musician.
Harold Erdman: $1,000
Terry Espy: $1,000 - Espy works in real estate with Momentum Companies.
Stamatia Saffo: $1,000 - Saffo is listed as an employee with Saffo Contractors, Inc.
Dory Weiss: $1,000 - Weiss is listed as working as the vice president of engineering at nCino.
Hinnant
Third quarter total: $92,265.69
Number of third quarter contributors: 226
Largest third quarter contribution: $24,158.18 from the North Carolina Republican Party
Smallest third quarter contribution: $10
Top donors
North Carolina Republican Party: $24,158.18 - The party gave Hinnant an in kind donation for research along with print and postage for direct mailings.
Friends of Tim Moore: $5,600
New Hanover County Republican Women’s Club: $5,400
Lower Cape Fear Republican Women: $2,000
Southern States PBA PAC Fund: $1,500
Brett Tanner: $4,000 - Tanner is listed as the owner of Pinnacle Trailer Sales, Inc.
Richard Wilkins: $4,000
D. Logan: $2,575 - Logan is a builder and developer with Logan Homes.
Travis Best: $2,000 - Best, who is listed as a New Hanover County firefighter, made an in kind contribution of food and drinks for a fundraiser.
Jody Kemp: $2,000 - Kemp, who is listed as retired from the U.S. government, made an in kind contribution of food and drinks for a fundraiser.
N.C. House of Representatives District 19
Republican incumbent Charlie Miller won re-election to his second term in the state legislature in an uncontested race.
Miller will represent District 19 – an area that covers the southern portion of New Hanover County, including Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, along with southwestern Brunswick County.
Here’s how donations to Miller’s campaign stacked up in the months ahead of Election Day:
Third quarter total: $39,102.95
Number of third quarter contributors: 36
Largest third quarter contribution: $6,000 from N.C. Realtors PAC
Smallest third quarter contribution: $50
Top donors
N.C. Realtors PAC: $6,000
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: $5,600
Matthew Alan Penley: $5,600
Duke Energy Corporation PAC: $5,000
Lisa Ballantine: $2,000
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of N.C.: $1,750
Motorola Solutions Political Action Committee: $1,500
N.C. Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association PAC: $1,500
REAP: $1,500
Ward and Smith P.A. PAC: $1,250
N.C. House of Representatives District 20
In another competitive race, Republican incumbent Ted Davis, Jr. faced off against Democratic challenger Amy Block DeLoach to represent District 20 in the N.C. House of Representatives.
The district encompasses central and eastern areas of New Hanover County, including parts of Porters Neck and Ogden along with Wrightsville Beach and the Masonboro area.
On Election Day, Davis was elected to his sixth term in the house of representatives by a margin of nearly 1,100 votes. Davis won 51.49% of the vote with 18,895 ballots cast for him while Block DeLoach received 48.51% or 17,801 votes.
Here’s how donations to each campaign stacked up in the months ahead of Election Day:
Davis
Third quarter total: $280,234.86
Number of third quarter contributors: 119
Largest third quarter contribution: $159,343 from N.C. Republican Party
Smallest third quarter contribution: $25
Top donors
N.C. Republican Party: $159,343 - Davis received $125,000 in fund transfers from the party along with $34,343 of in kind donations, including research, coordinated media and print and postage for direct mailings.
Friends of Tim Moore Campaign: $11,200
Michael McCarley: $9,953 - McCarley, who is listed as a retired marine terminal operator, provided $4,353 of an in kind donation for an event at Watermark Marina.
N.C. Realtors PAC: $8,600
Lower Cape Fear Republican Women: $5,600
N.C. Red: $5,600
Baron Thomas Young: $5,600
George Roundtree III: $5,500
McHenry for Congress: $5,000
Wilmington Anesthesiologists PAC: $5,000
Bobby Huckabee III: $5,000
Daniel Rich: $5,000
Robert Shakar, Jr.: $5,000
Block DeLoach
Third quarter total: $191,835.09
Number of third quarter contributors: 959
Largest third quarter contribution: $51,460.31 from North Carolina Democratic Party
Smallest third quarter contribution: $1
Top donors
North Carolina Democratic Party: $51,460.31 - That contribution includes $40,000 in funding and a $961 in kind contribution that includes software access.
N.C. Democratic Party - House Caucus: $46,558.87 - This contribution includes $27,400 in polling money and $19,158.87 providing salary and benefits for campaign staff.
Elect Deb Butler: $13,354.46 - That includes an in kind contribution of $3,078.46 for the printing of joint campaign materials.
Emily’s List Federal Fund: $5,600
The PAC for America’s Future: $5,600
Marcia Morgan: $2,750
Carrie Pomerantz: $2,500
Progressive Turnout Project PAC: $2,500 - This in kind contribution paid for a campaign fellow.
N.C. Sierra Club PAC: $2,000
James Shelton: $2,000
Reporter Emma Dill can be reached at edill@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington-area politicians see big contributions from state parties
