Follow the Money: Kent County Commission Candidate Campaign Finances

Large bills fanned out and held in hand

Considering how much attention we have been giving to the Kent County Commission because of the Sheriff Department’s contract with ICE, we thought it would be worth looking at the campaign finance records for all of the incumbents and the challengers in the upcoming November election.

What follows is a list of the candidates by district, with the amount of money they have, plus some of the larger donors for each candidate. To look up the information yourself, just go to the Kent County Clerk page, under the election section and then click on the button for Campaign Finances.

There are definitely names (individuals and organizations) of those who are part of the Grand Rapids Power Structure, who have contributed to several candidates listed below.

District #1

Theodore Vonk (R) Nothing filed for this cycle

Deborah Havens (D)  Total – $7373; Major contributions – $1683 Deb Havens, $200 David Harrison

District #2

Tom Antor (R)  Total – $3100; Major contributions – $500 MAC PAC, $350 Grand Rapids Chamber PAC, $250 Peter Secchia

Jeremiah Anway (D)  $0

District #3

Roger Morgan (R)  Nothing filed for this cycle

District #4

Diane Jones (R)  Total – $24,290; Major contributions – Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan $500, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250

Kari Smith (D)  Total – $300

District #5

Mandy Bolter (R)  Total – $7,790; Major contributions – Garcia Majority Fund $500, David Bilardello $500, David Hibma $500, Realtors PAC $500, Steve Van Andel $500, David Mehney $500, MAC PAC $500.

Neville Mark (D)  $0

District #6

Stan Stek (R)  Total – $1447; Major contributions – Stan Stek $697, Michigan Association   of Realtors $500, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce $250

Pam DeGryse  Total – $0

District #7

Stan Ponstein (R)  Total – $2752; Major contributions – Stan Ponstein $577, Peter Secchia $500, Friends of West Michigan Business $250

Mike Johnson  Total – $557

District #8

Harold Voorhees (R)  Total – $2500; Major contributions – Harold Voorhees $1000, Dan Hibma $500, Rusty Richter $500, Dave Dishaw $500

District #9

Matt Kallman (R)  Total – Matt & Jennifer Kallman loaned $2500

Bob Smith (D)  Total – $2408; Major contributions – Bob Smith $1791

District #10

Emily Brieve (R)  Total $2385; Major contributions – Dan Hibma $250, Ross Post $250

District #11

Jim Saalfeld (R)  Total $32,346; Major contributions – Commercial Alliance of Realtors $500, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce PAC $350

August Treu (D) Total – $3532

District #12

Jill Martinez (R)  Total – $4205; Major contributions – Kent County Republican Committee $2500, Peter Secchia $1000,

Monica Sparks (D)  Total – $2825; Major contributions – Equity PAC $1000, Raquel Salas $500, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $350, Natalie Garcia $250, Bob Goodrich $200

Charlotte Aikens (G)  $0

District #13

Jessica Ann Tyson (R)  Total – $5925; Major contributions – Kent County Republican Committee $2500, Realtors PAC of Michigan $1500, Peter Secchia $1000, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $350

Betsy Melton (D)  Total – $2000; Major contributions – Betsy Melton $2000

District #14

Kyle Brethauer (R)  $0

Carol Hennessy (D)  Total – $3937; Major contributions – Grand Rapids Fire Fighters Union $1000, West Michigan Plumbers and Fitters $500, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce $250

District #15

Joel Townsend (R) $0

Jim Talen (D) Total – $1050; Major contributions – Friends of West Michigan Business $250, Jonathan and Leslie Anderson $200, Bob Goodrich $200

District #16

Jenna Vandekamp (R)  $0

Dave Bulkowski (D) Total – $4207; Major contributions – Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250, John Van Fossen $250, Bob Goodrich $200

District #17

Courtney Panter (R)  $0

Robert Womack (D)  $0

District #18

Dan Koorndyk (R)  Total – $13,950; Major contributions – Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan $2000, Peter Secchia $1000, Steven Baldwin $1000, John Bales $1000, Susan Hascall $1000, Dan Hibma $1000, Hildenbrand Leadership Fund $500, MAC Pac $500

Stephen Wooden (D)  Total – $27,325; Major contributions – Stephen Wooden $1000, Steve Pestka $1000, Equity PAC $1000, Cary Fleisher $1000, Adelyn Wooden $500, Fred Wooden $500, John Hunting $500, West Michigan Plumbers, Fitters and Service Trades Local Union $500, Elizabeth Welch $500, Sam Singh $500, Sandra Rempel $500, Bob Goodrich $250, Tamara Vandenberg $250

District #19

Laurel Abraham (R) Total – $10,734; Major contributions – Kent County Republican Committee $5000, Peter Secchia $1000, Alan Abraham $1000, Terri Land $500, La Buckley $500, Tracy Knapp $500

Phil Skaggs (D)  Total – $28,741; Major contributions – Phil Skaggs $9735, Grand Rapids Fire Fighters Union PAC $1500, Bob Goodrich $650, Grand Rapids Police Officers Association PAC $500, Elizabeth Welch $500, John Hunting $500, Michigan Laborers Political League PAC $250