Residents in the Golden Triangle gave $309,676 to national campaign efforts this election season, according to statistics from The Huffington Post”s Fundrace website.
Columbus donors gave $184,000; West Point donors gave $53,896; and Starkville donors gave $71,410.
Among the top contributors in Columbus were Marcia Lane, a retired investor, John Correnti, former CEO of the SeverCorr (now Severstal) steel mill, and attorney Wil Colom.
Lane has given $26,900 since 2009, according to the Federal Election Commission, some of which has gone to individuals such as Sharron Angle for Senate and Danny Burton for Congress. The bulk went to organizations like the Republican National Committee, Republican Member Senate Fund and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
“I contribute because I am terrified about the leader of our country, and I do not want to live in a socialist country,” Lane said.
Lane, who cares for rescued animals and is active with the Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society, focuses her contributions toward conservative candidates.
“They”re all conservatives,” she said of the campaigns she”s supported. “If they are conservative, I vote for them; if they are liberal, I don”t.”
Correnti gave $24,390. Correnti supported Roger Wicker, Chad Causey for Congress, Alan Nunnelee for Congress and gave heavily to the Corrections Corporation of America Political Action Committee.
Childers, a Democrat, lost his Mississippi 1st District Congressional seat to Republican Nunnelee. Childers raised a total of $1.68 million, according to the Federal Election Commission and spent $1.44 million. Nunnelee raised $1.41 million and spent $1.15 million.
Colom gave a total of $9,800, with most going to U.S. Rep. Travis Childers, D-Miss., according to Federal Election Commission records. He also supported Roxanne Conlin for Senate and Angela McGlowan for Congress.
His goal in giving is to promote the process, Colom said. He also supports his friends” and coworkers” campaigns. For instance, he worked with Conlin when she was president of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and knew McGlowan”s mother and family, from growing up in North Mississippi.
“I gave to Ron Paul because I thought he was an interesting messenger, and gave to him to support him during the election,” he said. Colom admits he had no intention of voting for Paul but thought his message should be heard.
Colom, who gave heavily to and raised money for the Barack Obama campaign, also gave to John McCain during the presidential primary because businessman and philanthropist Jim Barksdale asked him to.
Additionally, Colom gave $2,500 to William Starks, who ran unsuccessfully against incumbent 16th Circuit Court Judge Jim Kitchens.
“The current circuit judge never asked me, for my vote or for any money,” he noted. “Sometimes it has to do with asking you.”
“They didn”t win,” he laughed, when asked if he felt it was money well spent. “I give money to people who run because I want to promote democracy.”
Colom also said he gave to 16th Circuit Court judicial candidate Nebra Porter, who is a friend. However, a complete itemized list of Porter”s contributions was not available at the secretary of state”s website.
Columbus donors lean Republican
Columbus gave 72 percent of its party-specific campaign dollars to Republican candidates and agencies. During the 2008 election cycle, residents gave 78 percent to the Democratic Party, according to fundrace.huffingtonpost.com.
In West Point, Milton Sundbeck, owner of Southern Ionics, and his wife, Christy, president of The Ritz Theater, gave $7,200 each to Childers” campaign.
The Sundbecks also gave $2,500 each to Lee Coleman”s 16th Circuit Court judicial campaign. Another $1,000 went from the couple to Kitchens.
West Point gave 82 percent of its campaign dollars to support the Democratic Party. In 2008, residents gave 74 percent to the Republican Party and candidates.
In Starkville, Marty Fuller gave $6,400 individually supporting Childers and Gregg Harper for Congress and another $2,000 through his business, Federal Solutions consulting firm, supporting Harper.
Harper, incumbent Republican for Mississippi”s 3rd District Congressional seat, reclaimed his seat against challenger, Joel Gill.
Harper raised $642,589 and spent $610,627, according to the Federal Election Commission, while Gill, a Democrat, didn”t report raising or spending any money.
Starkville gave 64 percent of its campaign dollars to Republicans; in 2008, residents gave 55 percent to the Democratic Party and candidates.
Contributing to elections is an individual decision, Lane said, but she considers it money well spent.
“I”ll continue to spend it until we get back to being a conservative country,” she said, noting she is “blessed” to be able to give.
“Don”t give away any money you can”t throw away,” Colom advised. “Politics is not really something to invest in.”
Still, he said, it”s important for everyone to give.
“I think it”s just as important to give in elections, as it is to vote, if you only give 10 or 20 dollars,” he said. “The more people who give, the more accountability you have.”
If numerous small contributions are made, candidates won”t have to turn to big corporations to fund campaigns, Colom concluded.
Local contested judicial races
In nonpartisan judge races, Nebra Porter had raised $10,128.25 and spent $8,210.85, as of Oct. 25, according to documents filed with the secretary of state”s office.
Lee Coleman raised $73,031 and spent $66,105.94, including $1,500 to the Seventh Avenue Heritage Festival. His ties to the festival came into question last month after a community member issued a letter complaining Coleman had an opportunity to speak at the festival and Porter did not.
Bob Marshall raised $47,465 and spent $43,411.39.
Porter, Coleman and Marshall ran for 16th Circuit Court judge, Place 3, a new seat. Porter faces Lee Coleman in a Tuesday runoff. The 16th District includes Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Clay and Noxubee counties.
Jim Kitchens raised $31,972 and spent $28,769.31, while William Starks raised $44,597.46 and spent $37,755.25. Kitchens defeated Starks to retain his 16th District Court, Place 1 judgeship.
On the web
-Huffington Post Fundrace: fundrace.huffingtonpost.com
-Mississippi Secretary of State election page: www.sos.ms.gov/elections.aspx
-Federal Election Commission: www.fec.gov
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