We’ll keep adding to this post as I get to more reports. Remember, for those candidates who did not face primaries, this is the first report they must file this year. An 8-day report is also required, as is a year-end report.
Let’s see what has surfaced so far…
Any doubts that Bill ‘Lumpy’ Carson is a wholly-owned obedient servant for the special interests can be disabused of that notion by reading his report. Raised $34K, even though he had no primary or general election opponent. Remember that Trey Paradee-promoted bundling party at the Batson/Kidner lobbying shop? Took place on May 23. Not coincidentally, Ol’ Lump got campaign checks from the following the very same day: ACLI (life insurance), AgentPAC, Altria, American Council Of Life Insurers (a duplicate donation, or an honest filing error?) , Barry Guerke, CDI Consulting Services, Continental Casualty Company, Delaware Bankers Association, Delaware Chiropractic Society, Dr. George Schreppler (chiropractor), DSEA Advocacy Fund, GEICO, Harvey Hanna & Associates, Health Executives’ Action League, Laird Stabler & Associates, Mary Kaye McLaughlin, Michael J. Miller (insurance litigator), Montrell Teague (harness driver), NAMIC Admin. Fund, Nationwide Mutual Ins. Company PAC, Optometry Eye PAC, Parkowski, Guerke & Swayze, PPL Consulting LLC, Rebecca Batson Kidner, Richard Bayard, Smith Capitol Advisors LLC, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits LLC, Standard Distributing Company, The Pilots’ Association For the Delaware River & Bay, The Travelers’ Company Inc., United Distributors of Delaware, USAA, William Clifton of the Delaware Farm Bureau.
This is about as anti-democratic as it gets. Ol’ Lump is owned by the insurance companies. You may have noticed that the priorities of said companies are often in direct conflict with, you know, normal people. Like Lumpy’s constituents.
Memo To Future House Leadership: Keep this casually-corrupt bozo away from any committees that consider bills affecting the corporations that own him.
Tim Sheldon donated $600 each to Val Longhurst and George Dudlek. 0 for 2. This reminds me–did anybody piss away more money with so little effect than the Delaware Building and Trades unions? They gonna keep throwing away good money after bad? Gonna stick with the same failed leadership?
Here’s a weird one–PAC Local Union 451 started the period with a balance of, wait for it, 1 penny. Raised no money, but sent a $600 check to Rep. Mimi Minor-Brown, who has no opposition.
Progressive Democrats Of Delaware have maxed out to Claire Snyder-Hall, Frank Burns, and Eric Morrison for the general election.
The 20th RD Democratic Committee contributed $3000 to the campaign of Stell Parker Shelby. That appears to greatly exceed the legal $600 limit. Am I wrong?
All Funded Up, And No Place To Spend. Remember the Little PAC That Could? Which turned into a repository of pass-through funds for BHL? Bethany is toast, but People For A Healthy Delaware has a balance of $94,906. Didn’t spend a penny since the primary.
One constant you see in almost every report from D candidates is that Sarah McBride has maxed out to them. LBR? Not so much. OK, I’ll say it–Sarah is becoming the leader of the Delaware Democratic Party in the best way possible.
A weird report from Trippi Congo (dog bites man). Started with a balance of just over $1400. Reported no new income. Wrote a check from the campaign to himself for $3K. Don’t tell me he’s contracting out his campaign bookkeeping to BHL’s husband…
Impressive report from Jane Gruenebaum, a Democrat running for Sussex County Council District 3. Over $50K raised, none of it from developers and/or LLC’s.
A curious contribution in an otherwise ordinary report from Deb Heffernan‘s campaign. First State Military Academy donated $400. Aren’t they a charter that gets state funding? Is that OK?
Monica Beard, who is challenging the Real Michael Smith in RD 22, raised a respectable $27K this year. While she’ll no doubt be outspent by Smith, she’s raised enough to be very competitive. A race to watch–and to volunteer.
Claire Snyder-Hall, who won the D Primary to succeed Pete Schwartzkopf in RD 14, has raised $23K since the primary. Her opponent, Mike Simpler, has raised $14K this year. Word on the street, though, is that Simpler may get his very own SuperPAC. Makes sense. Claire represents an existential threat to the Forces Of Evil who are protecting the tattered remains of the Delaware Way.
Kim Hoey Stevenson, who is challenging freshman Senator Russ Huxtable, has raised $71K, mostly from the Rethug establishment. Her husband is a big deal with the pro-oil, climate change-denying, Caesar Rodney Institute. Huxtable has been a superb Senator, and I encourage all of you to support him. Like, right here.
Melissa Brayman, who is the R candidate for New Castle County President, only raised $6K. I will almost certainly vote for her. Monique Johns has been strong-arming the D committees for $$’s, she’s hoovering up developer money, oh, and she’s incompetent. Brayman, at the least, is competent. And hasn’t been bought and paid for. Why the fuck would I vote for Johns?
Terrell Williams’ report doesn’t fill me with confidence. Had about $15K to spend. Spent about $17K. All due respect, not the financial profile one would have hoped for in a competitive race, especially since Kevin Hensley has about $120K on hand.
Anyone doubting that Kyle Evans Gay has her eyes on an even higher office, she’s more than proven that she can raise money. $224K since the primary.
Mike Ramone raised $78 K since the primary, already had about $44K left over. Seems a little light to me.
I could be wrong, but I don’t think that a single contributor to Darius Brown‘s campaign lives in his 2nd Senatorial District.
Shout-out to Madinah Wilson-Anton. All the money she raises, and it’s a decent amount, goes to progressive candidates and progressive causes. Definitely in the running for my favorite legislator.
Lest you were concerned, you needn’t worry about Matt Meyer‘s ability to raise money post-primary. He has banked almost $400K since then. Mike Ramone has raised $78 K. Can you say ‘smart money’? Looks like even Mike Houghton is doing penance…
I’m caught up–for now. More to come…