Trump, Biden or someone else? Here’s who top TN political donors support in 2024 primary

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct information about Aubrey Burleson of Knoxville.

Although top political donors in Tennessee still have yet to rally around a Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump remains the top dollar recipient in the state.

Unlike national polling, though, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina – in 7th place for the GOP nomination – has raised more than any other presidential candidate except Trump in direct campaign contributions from donors in the Volunteer State. That’s thanks in part to strong support from former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and his family. Haslam signed on as national co-chair of Scott’s campaign earlier this year.

A July Beacon Research poll found that 61% of Tennessee Republicans planned to vote for Trump, while 12% supported Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, 8% supported former Vice President Mike Pence, 10% supported someone else, and 9% remained undecided.

Here’s what each candidate has raised through the third quarter, according to each candidates’ latest financial disclosures filed with the Federal Election Commission.

$14,817 – Gov. Doug Burgum 

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum has raised the least of any Republican presidential candidates in Tennessee, netting less than $15,000 in contributions. Only two Tennessee donors have maxed out contributions to his campaign.

$23,135 – Former NJ Gov. Chris Christie

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has also struggled to bring in significant money in Tennessee, raising just over $23,000 in contributions through the third quarter.

$65,874 – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Environmental lawyer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who announced last week that he will run as an independent candidate after a longshot primary bid against President Joe Biden, has raised just under $66,000 in direct campaign contributions from Tennessee donors so far this cycle.

• Among his supporters is former U.S. Senator Bob Corker’s wife, Elizabeth Corker of Chattanooga, who has donated $258 to Kennedy’s campaign.

• Model Ashley Graham is Kennedy’s highest donor in Tennessee, having contributed $10,000 this year.

• He’s also supported by alternative medicine activist Ty Bolinger and his wife Charlene, Gibson Brands Controller Jill Skorinski, and former George H.W. Bush assistant secretary of Housing and Urban Development Catherine Fitts.

$141,248 – Former Vice President Mike Pence

Former Vice President Mike Pence brought in just over $141,000 so far this cycle from donors in Tennessee. His donors in the state include:

• Harry Stowers Jr. of Knoxville, Chairman of Stowers Machinery Corp.

• Scott Niswonger of Greeneville, CEO of Landair Services Inc.

$165,682 – Vivek Ramaswamy 

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has raised more than $165,000 from Tennessee donors toward his campaign. Much of Ramaswamy’s support is coming from fellow business leaders and entrepreneurs.

• Timothy Pagliara of Franklin, founder of CapWealth financial services firm, has given $6,870 to the Ramaswamy campaign.

• Brad Martin, retired CEO of Saks Inc., and his wife Dina, have both maxed out contributions to the Ramaswamy campaign.

• Entrepreneur Dan Crockett, founder of Franklin American Mortgage, has also contributed.

$184,662 – Former SC Gov. Nikki Haley

While having recently ascended in Republican primary polls, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has raised the fourth most in Tennessee, bringing in $184,000 in contributions, not including those to her PAC, Stand for America, from Tennessee donors.

• Christopher Redlich of Murfreesboro, chair of Healing Healthcare, has given $1.005 million to Haley’s Stand For America PAC so far this year.

• Pinnacle Dermatology founder Jose Rios of Franklin has donated $10,000 to Stand for America.

• Dermatologist Paula Lapinski of Franklin has also given $10,000 to Stand for America.

• Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart McWhorter and wife Leigh Ann have each maxed out their contributions to Haley's campaign.

$252,456 – President Joe Biden 

President Joe Biden has seen significant support from Democrats in Tennessee: Biden has brought in more than $252,000 in campaign contributions, not including PAC donations, through the third quarter.

• Freeman Webb CEO William Freeman of Nashville (who Biden appointed to the Fulbright Scholarship Board last year) – has given nearly $1 million this year to the Biden Victory Fund.

• Former Gov. Phil Bredesen and his wife, Andrea Conte, have both donated to the president’s reelection campaign.

• TVV Capital founder Andrew W. Byrd, Sr of Nashville has contributed $300,000 to the Biden Victory Fund so far this year.

• Sarah Faulkner of Lookout Mountain, wife of Chattanooga architect Buddy Faulkner has contributed $100,000 to the Biden Victory Fund.

• Baltimore Orioles owner John Angelos of Nashville has contributed $25,000.

• U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, Nashville attorney Charles Robert Bone and his wife, Sacha, and former Chattanooga Times publisher Paul Neely have also donated to Biden's re-election campaign.

$705,726 – Gov. Ron DeSantis

In third place in fundraising, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has raised nearly $706,000 in direct campaign contributions – not counting contributions to his political action committees – from Tennessee donors. His PACs have also received significant support.

• Yee-Haw Brewing founder and Ober Gatlinburg owner Joseph Baker has given $250,000 to DeSantis’ Never Back Down super PAC

• Playwright Leslie Liataud of Franklin has given $25,000 to Never Back Down.

• Ole Smoky Distillery CEO Cory Cottongim and his wife Cammy of Sevierville also donated significantly, as have Ballad Health CEO Alan Levine, and Betty McKee, of McKee Foods, and Memphis real estate developer Bayard Boyle. 

• Aubrey Burleson of Knoxville also contributed to the DeSantis campaign.

• Chris Walker, who previously served as a top adviser to Gov. Bill Lee, has donated to DeSantis, as has state Sen. Richard Briggs, R-Knoxville, and Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood.

$719,764 – Sen. Tim Scott

U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, has raked in more than almost any other candidate from Tennessee donors, with nearly $720,000 raised for his campaign, not including PAC donations.

• Former Gov. Bill Haslam (who is national co-chair of Scott's campaign) has contributed – $300,000 to Scott’s super PAC, Trust in the Mission PAC, and $13,200 to Tim Scott for America.

• Susan Dee Haslam, James Haslam have each contributed $25,000 to Trust in the Mission PAC. James Haslam has also contributed $13,200 to Tim Scott for America.

• David Colquitt has contributed $13,200 to Tim Scott for America.

• James A. Haslam III, William Haslam, Annie Haslam Colquitt, Susan Haslam, Natalie Haslam, and Cristen Haslam have all donated to Scott’s campaign.

• Scott has also received donations from several members of the Ingram family: Martha Ingram, CEO of Ingram Industries, Nashville SC owner John Ingram, and Hank Ingram, CEO of Brown Water Spirits.

• State Rep. Jake McCalmon, R-Franklin, has donated to the Scott campaign.

$1,016,214 – Former President Donald Trump

Former President Donald Trump has brought in the highest fundraising haul of any presidential candidate in Tennessee so far, by a significant margin. Trump won the state in 2020 with 60.7% of the vote. Trump has raked in significant PAC donations, as well as direct contributions to his campaign.

• Advance Financial Chair Michael Hodges of Nashville has contributed $150,000 this year to Trump PACs.

• Nashville auto magnate Lee Beaman has given $100,000 to the Make America Great Again PAC, plus another $11,600 to Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee.

• CreditCorp CEO Allan Jones of Cleveland and his wife, Janie, have contributed $175,000 this year to the Make America Great Again PAC, plus another $11,600 each to Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee. They’ve also maxed out direct contributions to Trump’s campaign.

• M&M Industries pail and packaging manufacturer Glenn Morris and his wife, Suzanne, of Chattanooga have contributed $11,600 to Trump Save America, and $25,000 each to Make America Great Again, Again PAC.

• Andrew Puzder, former CEO of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr., and his wife Deanna have each contributed $11,600 to Trump Save America and also donated to Trump’s campaign.

• Former motorsports analyst and auto dealer Darrell Waltrip has contributed to Trump’s presidential campaign.

• State Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown, and former U.S. Senate candidate Manny Sethi have also donated to Trump.

Other big money

High-dollar contributions are also flowing to congressional races on both sides of the aisle from Tennessee donors.

• Chattanooga photography entrepreneur Olan Mills donated $750,000 to the Senate Majority PAC – the primary spending funnel backing Democrats for Senate.

• Meanwhile, Betty McKee of McKee foods (of Little Debbie fame) donated $645,300 to the Protect the House 2024 PAC, which backs Republican candidates.  Her husband, Jack McKee, has given $237,700 this year to the National Republican Senatorial Committee earmarked for legal proceedings.

• Pilot Corporation founder James Haslam has donated $100,000 to Protect the House.

• Meanwhile, a Nashville-based PAC, Standing with Conservatives, funded primarily with contributions from Knoxville-based construction firm Phillips & Jordan, Inc. and Americans for Prosperity Board Member Paul Atkins – has contributed heavily to the National Victory Action Fund, another PAC focused on electing Republicans.

Vivian Jones covers state politics and government for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com or on X or Threads @Vivian_E_Jones.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Here’s who top Tennessee political donors support in 2024 primary