Always Follow the Money: Campaign Finances for Kent County Commission Races

Last month, we posted an article looking at the policy platforms of the candidates for Kent County Commission that are on the ballot for the upcoming 2022 Elections.

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.

This is the third post we have done this week, with information on the most recent campaign finance data for candidates that are on the ballot for 2022. Today, we will look at campaign finance data for the Kent County Commission seats.

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.

To access information about Campaign finances for Kent County Commission Candidates, go to this link and type in their name. We will list the total raised for each candidate and larger, more notable contributors.

District 1 Kent County Commission

Jerry Berta (D)

No Funds raised

Ben Greene (R) – Total raised: $27,258

GR Chamber PAC $3500

Realtors PAC $2000

TGIF Victory Fund $2000

JC Huizenga $1050

Dan Hibma $1000

Joel Langlois $1000

Lee Ann Langlois $1000

Terri Land $1000

Michael Jandernoa $1000

Susan Jandernoa $1000

Taylor Greene $500

Patrick Greene $500

Matthew Golden $500

Amy Drumm $500

Roger Hauck $500

Johnny Brann Jr $250

Chris Afendoulis $250

Mark Murray $250

Mark Jordan (R) – Total raised: $9207

Mark Jordan $7522

District 2 Kent County Commission

Rebecca Diffin (D)

$0 funds raised

Thomas Antor (R)

$0 funds raised

District 3 Kent County Commission

Janalee Keegstra (D)

$0 funds raised

Mark Laws (R) – Total raised: $3104

John Kyee’s $1000

Judy Kyees $1000

Jennifer Merchant (R) – Total raised: $24,475

Jennifer Merchant $2100

Maria DeVos $2100

Dalton DeVos $2100

Rebecca Humphreys $1050

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Steve Ehmann $1050

Michael Jandernoa $1000

Susan Jandernoa $1000

GR Chamber PAC $1000

Don Goris $1000

Michelle Humphreys $1000

Realtors PAC $1000

David Van Andel $500

Carol Van Andel $500

District 4 Kent County Commission

Judy Wood (D)

$0 funds raised

Katie DeBoer (R) – Total raised: $2542

Sean DenHerder $500

Katie DeBoer $300

Diane Jones (R) – Total raised: $24,150

GR Chamber PAC $2000

Yvonne Socha $1050

Terri Land $1050

Samuel Moore $1050

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Steven Ehmann $1050

Dan Hibma $1000

Michael Jandernoa $1000

Susan Jandernoa $1000

Realtors PAC $1000

District 5 Kent County Commission

Vanessa Lee (D)

$0 funds raised

Stefanie Boone (R) – Total raised: $9215

Stefanie Boone $3696

Lewis VanKuiken $1000

Norma VanKuiken $1000

Dave Hildenbrand (R) – Total raised: $27,750

GR Chamber PAC $2500

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Steven Ehmann $1050

West MI Anesthesia PAC $1000

Edward Nausieda $1000

Mark Anderson $1000

Compete Michigan PAC $1000

Michael Jandernoa $1000

Susan Jandernoa $1000

Realtor PAC $1000

District 6 Kent County Commission

Nicholas Vander Veen (D) – Total Raised: $305

Nicholas Vander Veen $255

Stan Stek (R) – Total Raised: $2301

Commercial Alliance of Realtors $1000

Realtors PAC $500

GR Chamber PAC $500

District 7 Kent County Commission

Sue Merrell (D)

$0 funds raised

Stan Ponstein (R) – Total Raised: $1500

Stan Ponstein $1000

Realtors PAC $500

District 8 Kent County Commission

Jennie Chatman (D)

$0 funds raised

Dan Burrill (R) – Total Raised: $5275

Rusty Richter $1050

CARWM Realtors PAC $1000

GR Chamber PAC $1000

District 9 Kent County Commission

Chip LaFleur (D)

$0 funds raised

Matt Kallman (R)

$0 funds raised

District 10 Kent County Commission

Julie Humphreys (D)

$0 funds raised

Emily Post Brieve (R) – Total Raised: $20,636

GR Chamber PAC $2000

Realtors PAC $2000

Terri Land $1050

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Steven Ehmann $1050

Emily Post Brieve $1000

Michael Jandernoa $1000

Susan Jandernoa $1000

Bill Hirsch (R) – Total Raised: $4733

Bill Hirsch $2800

District 11 Kent County Commission

John Considine (D) – Total Raised: $100

AJ Hoff (R) – Total Raised: $796

Lindsey Thiel (R) – Total Raised: $1425

Realtor PAC $2000

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Dalton DeVos $1050

Steven Ehmann $1050

GR Chamber PAC $1000

District 12 Kent County Commission

Monica Sparks (D) – Total Raised: $2000

Realtors PAC $1750

GR Chamber PAC $250

Adam Palasek (R)

$0 funds raised

Lee White (R) – Total Raised: $2345

Terri Land $1050

Dan Hibma $1050

District 13 Kent County Commission

Michelle McCloud (D) – Total Raised: $2345

Michelle McCloud $1610

GR Chamber PAC $250

Tom McKelvey (R) – Total Raised: $11,700

Dan Hibma $1050

Terri Land $1050

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Realtors PAC $750

Nick Prill (R) – Total Raised: $4681

Haley Meijer $1000

Nick Prill $500

Paul Laidler $500

District 14 Kent County Commission

Carol Hennessy (D) – Total Raised: $3232

GR Firefighters Union PAC $1000

Realtors PAC $500

GR Chamber PAC $250

Jerri Schmidt (R) – Total Raised: $2814

Jerri Schmidt $2714

District 15 Kent County Commission

Lisa Oliver-King (D)

$0 funds raised

Brian Boersema (R)

$0 funds raised

District 16 Kent County Commission

Melissa LaGrand (D) – Total Raised: $15,905

Melissa LaGrand $5980

GR Firefighters Union PAC $2500

Andrew & Cynthia DeBoer $1000

Realtors PAC $750

GR Chamber PAC $250

Jim Talen (D) – Total Raised: $22,959

Jim Talen $7239

Rick & Cindy Bandstra $500

Dr. Steffen Genthe $500

Marlin Feyen $350

Mayor Bliss $250

John Brooks Twist (R)

$0 funds raised

District 17 Kent County Commission

Tony Baker (D) – Total Raised: $11,843

Tony Baker $3500

Realtors PAC $750

Donald (Mike) Kolehouse $500

Victor Williams (D) – Total Raised: $1025

Michael Carnevale $250

Verluria Cobbs $200

Jason Gillikin (R)

$0 funds raised

District 18 Kent County Commission

Stephen Wooden (D) – Total Raised: $8006

Stephen Wooden $2000

GR Chamber PAC $250

Rachel Hood $250

Paul Beach $250

John Hunting $250

Ryan Schmidt $250

Tim Allen (R) – Total Raised: $2355

Dan Hibma $1050

Terri Land $1050

Josie Kornev (R) – Total Raised: $571

Thomas Nemcek $208

Anna Timmer $208

District 19 Kent County Commission

Dave Bulkowski (D) – Total Raised: $10,414

GR Chamber PAC $1000

Laurie Murphy $750

Dave Bulkowski $500

Amy Brogger $500

Kris Pachla (D) – Total Raised: $4821

Matt Richenthal $500

Amy Brogger $500

Ryan Schmidt $250

Erik Daly $250

Denise Delano-Taylor $250

Jeremiah Bannister (R)

$0 funds raised

Samuel Carstens (R) – Total Raised: $2100

Dan Hibma $1050

Terri Land $1050

District 20 Kent County Commission

Ivan Diaz (D)

$0 funds raised

Elisa Rodriguez (R) – Total Raised: $8515

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Steven Ehmann $1050

District 21 Kent County Commission

Charles Howe (D)

$0 funds raised

Alan Bolter (R) – Total Raised: $31, 727

GR Chamber $2000

Realtor PAC $2000

MAC PAC $1500

Terri Land $1050

Dick DeVos $1050

Betsy DeVos $1050

Pamela DeVos $1050

Daniel DeVos $1050

Suzanne DeVos $1050

Doug DeVos $1050

Maria DeVos $1050

Steven Ehmann $1050

TGIF Victory Fund $1000

William Jackson $1000

Mary Mochel $1000

Susan Jandernoa $1000

Michael Jandernoa $1000

Dan Hibma $1000

David Mehney $1000

Alan Bolter $500

Mark Murray $500

Don Goris $500

Joel Langlois $500

JC Huizenga $250

Walter Bujak (R) – Total Raised: $3645

Walter Bujak $3000

Like what we have seen with the State Senate and State Representative races, 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, JC Huizenga 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 the following Democrats also receiving contributions from the GR Chamber of Commerce – Monica Sparks, Michelle McCloud, Carol Hennessy, Melissa LaGrand, Stephen Wooden and Dave Bulkowski. 

It also appears that in the Kent County Districts where Democrats have conceded to the GOP, their candidates have not received any campaign contributions or very small amounts.