High-profile suburban school board races bring in $185,000 in fundraising
High-profile suburban school board races in the Des Moines metro — including Ankeny and Johnston — drew eye-popping fundraising for the second cycle in a row as the elections, which are nonpartisan, continue to attract intense political attention.
In total, a reported $185,131 flowed through campaigns in 11 school districts in the Des Moines metro, according to a Des Moines Register analysis of reports filed with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. Candidates reported $146,678 of that was cash contributions to their campaigns.
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Combined cash contributions for the Nov. 7 election of more than $146,000 were down by about $42,000 from the 2021 race in central Iowa districts, when candidates drew in five times the campaign cash as the prior cycle.
Most of that drop came out of a sharp decrease in donations to candidates for Des Moines School Board, where one with ties to Michelle Obama raised nearly $30,000 in 2021. And candidates in some districts reported raising little to no money this year.
But fundraising in the suburban races that have captured significant voter and media interest in 2023 ran closely with, or even surpassed, the numbers from 2021. And some candidates raised more money than anyone in their districts two years ago.
Political groups on both sides have weighed in — and spent money on — the suburban school board races in the wake of sweeping new education laws that affect what students can learn, what they can read in schools, or what nicknames or pronouns teachers can call them without parental permission.
Conservative organizations see electing their preferred candidates as a way to support their values at the local level while boosting parental involvement and improving core academic standards.
Progressive organizations hope candidates aligned with their values will narrowly enforce new laws, promote policies that protect students of diverse backgrounds and support teachers as districts struggle with retention.
Divisive suburban school board elections lead fundraising totals
The Register analyzed fundraising in 11 school districts in the Des Moines metro with competitive school board races this year. Candidates are required to register a campaign committee and file financial reports if they raise or spend more than $1,000 in a calendar year, according to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.
The top three districts were Johnston, Ankeny and West Des Moines — all fiery races with slates of candidates promoted by local Democratic or Republican groups.
Reports, which cover fundraising and spending from Jan. 1 through Oct. 28, were due at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2. Another report will be due Jan. 19.
Candidates report in three categories: cash contributions, loans and in-kind contributions. An in-kind contribution would be a non-monetary contribution with an estimated value, such as a supporter pitching in website design work or a candidate buying supplies for a trunk or treat event.
These totals include money candidates may have reported giving or loaning themselves, which exceeded other cash donations in some districts.
Here's how the campaign contributions broke down in the districts the Register surveyed:
Johnston — $63,301.61 total ($57,160.28 in cash contributions) across eight candidates.
Ankeny — $47,686.33 total ($43,715.56 in cash contributions) across 10 candidates.
West Des Moines — $21,822.59 total ($16,290 in cash contributions) across eight candidates.
Des Moines — $18,401.41 total ($17,501.59 in cash contributions) across five candidates.
Urbandale — $12,625.68 total ($6,230 in cash contributions) across six candidates.
Waukee — $12,201.49 total ($3,150 in cash contributions) across five candidates.
Dallas-Center Grimes — $9,339.97 total ($4,224.57 in cash contributions) across seven candidates.
Southeast Polk — $2,915.09 total ($1,569.07 in cash contributions) across six candidates.
North Polk — None reported across three candidates.
Norwalk — None reported across six candidates.
Saydel — None reported across seven candidates.
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Candidates multiply their hauls from previous elections
Out of the 72 school board candidates surveyed, five stood out as raising at least $10,000 in cash contributions this year.
They were by far the leaders of the pack of 72 candidates — the candidate who raised the sixth most money reported $6,700. The top five were:
Shelly Northway, Ankeny — $18,314.56
Lya Williams, Johnston — $15,530.97
Jason Arnold, Johnston — $10,387.82
Patrick Dix, Des Moines — $10,386.96
Michelle Veach, Johnston — $9,512.76
Northway has been campaigning and fundraising for nearly a year. She raised more than anybody in the 2021 Ankeny election, through roughly 600 donations. She said she wanted to reach as many people as possible and started to fundraise and make phone calls to connect with residents back in December.
"I wanted to hit as many people as I could," Northway said. "I needed to get my name out there."
She's been able to use funds for campaign literature, get involved with community events and pursue texting and emailing campaigns. Northway ran and lost in 2021 and raised about $4,600 through late October in that race.
This time, she was able to get barn signs for her campaign, which are much larger than typical yard signs.
Among Northway's many contributors include Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham and Fred Hubbell, the 2018 Democratic candidate for governor.
Winning candidates from 2019 who are running for reelection also multiplied the amount they raised this year. Incumbent Amy Tagliareni of Ankeny raised $875 in cash contributions through late October in 2019 and $6,665 in 2023.
While the Des Moines School Board race did not garner as much attention as neighboring districts, Patrick Dix’s campaign still managed to raise $10,386 for his at-large run. His opponent, Logan Villhauer, raised $250.
Many of Dix’s donors were family members.
“If they’re not related to me, they were in my wedding,” he said with a laugh.
The donors include Sean Flower, the mayor of Eureka, Missouri, and an old college friend; and Christine Sand, CEO of Lauridsen Group Inc. and wife of Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat. Flower donated $500 and Christine Sand gave $1,000.
“Rob and Christine have children in the Des Moines school district,” Dix said. “I think their contribution isn’t political as much as it’s about their kids and the future of the schools.”
It was hard for Dix to ask friends and family to support his campaign.
“I’m really grateful for the network of people that I have all over the country," he said, "my friends, my family who pitched in to help me do this.”
More: Conservative, progressive groups wade into central Iowa school races. Who are they backing?
Elections draw in support from public officials, business leaders
The fundraising in Johnston drew in an Iowa Board of Regents member and his family who together gave $5,400 on behalf of the candidates there endorsed by conservative groups.
Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2022 named James "JC" Risewick to the board that governs Iowa’s public colleges and universities, filling the vacancy left by the late Milt Dakovich.
James Risewick, who lives in Johnston, is president and chief operating officer of the Des Moines fuel station company Seneca Companies owned by his father, Chris Risewick. Chris Risewick gave $600 to the campaigns of each of the conservative-endorsed Johnston school board candidates: Josh Nelson, Charles Steele, Lori Stiles and Michelle Veach.
James Risewick gave $750 to Steele’s campaign. Anne Risewick, his wife, gave $750 each to Nelson, Stiles and Veach’s campaigns.
The elections in Johnston and Ankeny, the two biggest elections of the year, also drew contributions from elected officials.
Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, a Democrat who lives in West Des Moines and whose district does not include Johnston, gave $25 to Lya Williams’ campaign — one of the progressive-endorsed candidates in Johnston whose campaign raised one of the largest amounts in any 2023 metro school board election.
Rep. Eddie Andrews, a Republican who represents Johnston, gave $20 to Stiles’ campaign.
The West Des Moines Democrats gave $500 each to the campaigns there of Michael Andreski and Elizabeth Larson. Andreski’s campaign also received $100 each from Democratic Sen. Claire Celsi and Rep. Mary Madison, who both live in West Des Moines and represent residents in their districts.
In the Dallas Center-Grimes election, the Dallas County Democratic Central Committee gave $250 to at-large candidate Shaylee Vander Velden.
In Ankeny, State Rep. Molly Buck, a Democrat who represents Ankeny's northern half, kicked in $50 to Northway's campaign. State Rep. Heather Matson, who represents Ankeny's southern half, gave $25 to Northway, $50 to Katie Claeys and $160 to Tagliareni.
Meanwhile, State Rep. Bill Gustoff, R-Polk County, gave $50 each to Stephanie Gott, Joshua Palik, Ryan Weldon and Amy Guidry.
Prominent developers also gave money in the Ankeny race. Dennis Elwell gave $250 to Palik and Weldon, while an Elwell trust gave $250 to Guidry. Bill Kimberley also gave $250 each to Palik, Weldon and Guidry.
Phillip Sitter focuses on covering growth and development in the western metro suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_.
Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: High-profile Des Moines metro school board races bring in big money
