Always Follow the Money: Campaign Finances for State Representative Races in West Michigan

Last month, we posted an article looking at the policy platforms of the candidates for State Representative that were on the ballot for the upcoming 2022 Elections, specifically those in West Michigan.

We noted that most of the candidates had very limited information about public policy issues, often used vague language for what they stood for and often said things like, “I am running to bring back Michigan Values.” I’m not sure what “Michigan Values” means, but if we look at the history of Michigan, one could say that the values of this state are rooted in Settler Colonialism, theft of land from Indigenous people, systemic racism directed at Black and other BIPOC communities, and giving too much power to corporations and members of the Capitalist Class.

During the next week or so, we will be posting information on the most recent campaign finance data on these same candidates and races for various offices, particularly regarding candidates that are on the ballot for 2022. Today, we will look at campaign finance data for the State Representative races.

Campaign finances can tell you are great deal about who is backing a candidate, who is buying access and who wants to influence public policy if the candidate they are contributing to ends up winning. Campaign finances have always been a tool for the wealthiest members of the Capitalist Class to control the outcome of elections in the US. 

In addition, we must always keep in mind that no matter how much money members of the Capitalist Class, political action committees or corporations contribute, it is “protected speech.” This reality underscores one of the fundamental contradictions of US democracy, which is – the more money you contribute, the more protected speech you have. This is just one major flaw of the US electoral process, what Sheldon Wolin dissects in his book, Democracy Inc.: Managed Democracy and the Specter of Inverted Totalitarianism. Wolin provides us with critically important analysis about money in US elections, which ultimately makes a mockery out of the notion of free and fair elections.

Each candidate is hyperlinked to the Secretary of State’s Campaign Finance Data page. 

78th District State Representative Race

Leah M. Groves (D)

No funds raised

Christine E. Barnes (R)

Almost exclusively self-financed

Ben Geiger (R)

• Small Biz PAC $2,000 
• Michael Jandernoa $1,000
• Brian Calley $1,000
• Julie Calley $1,000

Gina Johnsen (R)

Mostly self-financed

79th District State Representative Race

Kimberly Y. Kennedy-Barrington (D)

No funds raised

Ryan Gallogly (R)

Only 3 contributors

Jeremiah Keeler (R)

• Friends of West MI Business $2,000
• Dan DeVos $1,050
• Suzanne DeVos $1,050
• Matthew Hayworth $1,050
• Steve Ehmann (RDV Corp) $1.050
• Maria DeVos $1.050
• Betsy DeVos $1,050
• Doug DeVos $1,050
• Dick DeVos $1,050
• Richard Hayworth $1,050
• John Kennedy $1,050
• Ethelyn Hayworth $1,050
• Mike VanGessel (Rockford Constr.) $500

Angela Rigas (R)

• Save America PAC $5000
• Beeler Majority Fund $5000
• Maddock Leadership Fund $2000
• David Agema $1000

80th District State Representative Race

Lily Cheng-Schulting (D)

• Lily Cheng-Schulting $4,250
• Shri Thanedar $1,000
• Bing Goei $500
• Jose Flores $500

Phil Skaggs (D)

• Phil Skaggs $20,000
• GR Firefighters Union PAC $5000
• Michigan Laborers Political League $2,500
• Daniel Allor $2,100
• Scott Bowen $1,000
• MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers $1,000
• MI Brotherhood of Electricians $1,000

Jeffrey Johnson (R)  

• Jeffrey Johnson $51,280
• JC Huizenga $1,050
• Irving Limatta $1,000
• Rental Property Owners Assoc. $500
• GR Chamber PAC $500
• Michigan Health Choice Alliance $500

81st District State Representative Race

Rachel Hood (D)

• MI Regional Council of Carpenter $6,000
• The PAC for America’s Future $5,000
• MEA PAC $4,250
• Joe Tate Leadership PAC $2,500
• MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers $2,000
• Lasinski for Michigan PAC $2,000
• MI League for Conservation Voters $3,500
• MI List $1,500
• Delta PAC $1,000
• DTE Energy PAC $1,000
• Realtors PAC of MI $650

Lynn Afendoulis (R)

• Realtors PAC of Michigan $5,000
• MI Farm Bureau PAC $3,000
• TGIF Victory Fund $2,000
• Matt Hall Majority Fund $2,000
• Daniel Hibma $1,050
• Charlie Secchia $1,050
• Teri Lynn Land $1,050
• Johnny Brann $1,050
• GR Chamber PAC $1,050
• Mark Murray $1,000

82nd District State Representative Race

Salim Mohammed Al-Shatel (D)

• Salim Mohammed Al-Shatel $2,165
• Realtor PAC $1,500
• Chris Guis $500
• Liala Burmeister $500

Kristian Grant (D)

• GR Firefighters PAC $5,000
• GR Chamber PAC $1,000
• Tony Baker $1,000
• Nathaniel Moody $300
• Rachel Hood $250
• Joe Jones $250

Robert Womack (D)

William Alexander (R)

$0 funds raised 

Ryan Malinoski (R)

• Terri Land $1,050
• Dan Hibma $1,050

83rd District State Representative Race

Keith Courtade (D)

Keith Courtade $7,000

John Fitzgerald  (D)

• John Fitzgerald $11,000
• Realtors PAC $1,500
• MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers PAC $1,000
• IBEW PAC $1,000
• GR Chamber PAC $500
• Auto Dealers of MI PAC $500

Jose Flores (D)

• Jose Flores $4,700
• Dan Salas $900
• John Beason $350
• Victor Vasquez $250

Lisa DeKryger (R)

• Lisa DeKryger $5,000
• TGIF Victory Fund $2,000
• Matt Hall Majority Fund $2,000
• Terri Land $1,050
• Small Business Assoc. of MI PAC $2,000
• Daniel Hibma $1.000
• Rental Property Owners Association $500
• GR Chamber PAC $500

84th District State Representative Race

Carol Glanville (D) 

• MI House Democratic Fund $3,181
• Lasinski for Michigan PAC $2,500
• MI Regional Council of Carpenters $2,500
• Joe Tate Leadership PAC $2,000
• MI League of Conservation Voters $2,000
• IBEW PAC Fund $1,500
• Jonathan Jelks $1.050

Mike Milanowski Jr. (R)

• Mike Milanowski Jr. $10,000
• Matt Hall Majority Fund $3,000
• TGIF Victory Fund $2,500
• Realtors PAC $2,500
• Small Business Assoc. of MI $2,000
• Ethelyn Haworth $1,050
• Maria DeVos $1,050
• Betsy DeVos $1,050
• Doug DeVos $1,050
• Steven Ehmann $1,050
• Richard Hayworth $1,050
• Terri Land $1,050
• Nancy Kennedy $1,050
• Cheri DeVos $1,050
• John Kennedy $1,050
• Matthew Hayworth $1,050
• Dick DeVos $1,050
• Dan DeVos $1,050
• GR Chamber PAC $1,000
• Michael Jandernoa $1,000
• Mike VanGessel $500
• Mark Murray $500

Justin Noordhoek (R)

Justin Noordhoek $5,860

Robert Regan (R)

Norma VanKuiken $1,050

John Wetzel (R)

John Wetzel $151,000

89th District State Representative Race

Sharon McConnon (D)

$0 funds raised

Luke Meerman (R)

• Realtors Pac $5,000
• MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers PAC $2,500
• MI Petrolium Jobbers PAC $1,250
• Delta PAC $1,000
• Association of Builders & Contractors $1,000
• Rental Property Owners PAC $500

90th District State Representative Race

Meagan Hintz (D)

$0 funds raised

Kathy Clark (R) 

Mostly self-financed – Kathy Clark $2,050

Bryan Posthumus (R)

• Wentworth Majority Fund $12,500
• Realtors PAC $10,000
• Auto Dealer of MI PAC $2,550
• BCBSM PAC $2,500
• MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers $2,500
• Farm Bureau PAC $1,750
• CMS Energy PAC $1,500
• Mark Murray $1,000
• MI State Troopers PAC $750

91st District State Representative Race

Tammy L. DeVries (D)

$0 funds raised

Frank J. LaFata (D)

• MI Regional Council of Carpenters $2,000
• Frank Lafata $1,416
• Curtis Loweke $500

Pat Outman (R)

• Realtors PAC $5,400
• MI Beer & Wine Wholesalers $5,000
• MI Laborers Political League $3,500
• DTE Energy PAC $3,000
• Matt Hall Majority Fund $2,000
• CMS Energy Employees PAC $1,500
• BCBSM PAC $1,000
• Auto Dealer of MI PAC $1,000
• GR Chamber PAC $750

There are several patterns one can see, with large contributions coming from both corporate PACs, Labor PACs, other candidate PACs and a fair amount of self-financing.

There were also numerous members of the Grand Rapids Power Structure making contributions, such as John and Nancy Kennedy, Michael and Susan Jandernoa, all of the DeVos family members, Mark Murray, Mike VanGessel, Charlie Secchia and several members of the Hayworth family. In addition, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce made numerous contributions, and not always to Republicans, with John Fitzgerald (D) and Kristian Grant (D) both receiving funds from the GR Chamber of Commerce PAC. 

Lastly, there were also candidate that either had most of their funding through self-financing, others with very few contributors and still others will no funding raising at all.