By the end of the final reporting period before the upcoming primary elections, candidates seeking the District 39 seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives raised a combined $68,750, making it the most expensive race for a state legislative office.
Incumbent Rep. Jeff Smith (R-Columbus) has raised a total of $54,200 this year for his re-election campaign. He entered the first reporting period this year with a $20,358.18 carryover balance from 2018, according to filings with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office, meaning his total war chest exceeded $74,000.
Smith has raised $33,700 from 31 political action committees this year, with single donations ranging from $500 to $5,000.
Those PACs represented groups including educators, Realtors and manufacturers.
Smith’s non-PAC donations came from the 31 individuals or businesses. One of the largest donations was $1,000, from Keith Heard, of Columbus.
This year’s donations spanned four reporting periods. The final pre-primary filing deadline was July 30.
Of his 2019 donations, $1,000 were non-itemized, which came from individuals who gave less than $200 and did not have to be listed.
After spending $45,397.29 on his campaign prior to July 30, Smith was left with $29,160.89 on-hand.
Republican challenger Dana McLean, also of Columbus, raised a total of $14,550, all itemized donations, according to campaign finance documents. She has spent a total of $7,190, leaving her with $7,360 cash on-hand.
All of her money came from 11 individuals. Over multiple reporting periods, McLean received contributions from retired educator Margie Canon, totaling $6,000, and Realtor Roger Burlingame, totaling $1,300. Beth Imes, mother of Dispatch Publisher Peter Imes and wife of Publisher Emeritus Birney Imes III, donated $200 to McLean’s campaign.
District 39 covers parts of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties.
District 38 House race
Lisa Wynn, a Democrat challenging incumbent Democrat Cheikh Taylor, outpaced him in her fundraising efforts. She came up with $15,920, compared to Taylor’s $11,750 total.
All of Taylor’s contributions were itemized. Seven PACs, representing public education, state manufacturers and state hospitals, have donated $10,250 to his campaign this year. Single donations ranged between $250 and $3,500.
Five individuals and corporations contributed to Taylor’s campaign. Business owner D.L. Spruill’s contributions totaled $500.
Taylor spent $4,503.20 and had $7,246.80 remaining by the end of July.
Wynn spent $10,704.87 on her campaign. She had $5,215.13 remaining by July’s end, according to filings with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office.
All of Wynn’s contributions were non-itemized, except for a donation of $1,500 from Lenwood Gladney Jr.
District 38 includes parts of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties. Taylor and Wynn are from Starkville.
District 37 House race
District 37 Rep. Gary Chism (R-Columbus) and Libertarian challenger Vicky Rose raised comparable amounts for their respective campaigns. Chism’s total was $2,699, and Rose’s was slightly greater, at $2,869.79.
Of the money raised for the Chism campaign, $599 was non-itemized. He received $2,150 from four PACs, representing state concrete industries, power and energy and state psychologists.
His only non-PAC donation came from Rehabilitation Center, LLC, for $250.
According to Chism’s filings with the Secretary of State’s Office, he entered the year with $7,745 cash on-hand and reported having $9,264 on-hand by June 30.
An amount of $240 was not listed or itemized in Chism’s paperwork.
Rose, of Hamilton, had spent $1,368.13 total and had $1,501.66 left over.
Only $750 of her total donations were itemized. NewMarket Corp. donated $500 to her campaign, and Andrew Schilling donated $250, according to filings with the Secretary of State’s Office.
District 42 House race
Dirk Dickson raised no money for his campaign against incumbent Rep. Carl Mickens (D-Brooksville), who raised a total of $13,150 by the end of July, documents show.
Mickens spent a total of $9,339.35. He reported having $1,637 on-hand by the end of the most recent reporting period.
He accepted $11,750 from 15 political action committees, representing dentists, manufacturers, pharmacies, poultry and power. Single donations ranged from $250 to $3,500.
Only two non-PAC individuals contributed to his campaign. Willie Bozeman donated $240, and Ingalls Shipbuilding donated $400.
Mickens’ total non-itemized donations came to $750.
District 17 Senate race
Sen. Chuck Younger (R-Columbus) raised $21,250 by the end of July for his race against challengers Dewanna Belton and Danny Bedwell, his filing documents indicate.
But Younger’s campaign finance documents do not properly reflect the amounts he raised or spent. He provided a set of figures to The Dispatch on Saturday that reflected $7,727 in disbursements and the $21,250 he said he raised. Younger said he entered 2019 with $2,239 on-hand.
Younger accepted $14,500 in donations from 10 PACs, with single donations ranging from $500 to $5,000. Those PACs included physicians, roadbuilders, Realtors and manufacturers, according to filings with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Younger received eight donations from individuals and corporations. Falcon Construction Co, Inc., and Phillips Contracting Co, Inc., both donated $1,000.
Dewanna Belton raised no money, according to campaign finance documents.
Danny Bedwell said Friday that he hasn’t filed any campaign finance records with the Secretary of State’s Office.
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