Follow the Money: Kent County Commission races that are backed by big donors and the usual suspects

Yesterday I posted an article about how the rich and powerful are funding the campaigns for the Kent County Prosecutor, the Kent County Clerk, the Kent County Sheriff and the the Kent County Treasurer.  Today, I want to look those same donors are with regards to the Kent County Commission races.

Kent County Commissioner District 1

Jerry Berta (D) – no funding 

Ben Greene (R) – Raised $4925.00 and backed by the rich and powerful, such as: Dab Burrill $1250.00, Dan DeVos $1225.00, Dick DeVos $1,225.00, Doug DeVos $1225.00 and many more, according to the campaign finances documents 1 and 2.  https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/19666.PDF  https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20330.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 2

Russell C. Yonkers (D)  – no funding

Joel J Langlois (R) – raised $10,000.00, but it was all self-financed. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20480.PDF 

Elizabeth Morse (R) – Raised $6050.00, with top donors being Maintain Our Majority $4,000.00, Richard and Melinda Gorski Trust $1,000.00, Friends of West Michigan Business PAC $500.00, Jeffrey Vanderwerff $250.00, Melinda Gorski $200.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/21538.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 3

Jenn Merchant (R) – Raised $500.00 from the GR Chamber PAC.

Kent County Commissioner District 4

Judy A. Wood (D) – Raised $1500.00 from Judy Wood $1,000.00 and Kent County Democratic Party $500.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20977.PDF 

Kathy J. Clark (R) – Raised $5108.00, with top donors being Margaret Potter $1000.00, Norma Vankuiken $1000.00, Yvonne Curtis $500.00, Joan Mitchell $300.00, Duane Ritter $250.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/21660.PDF 

Katie DeBoer (R) – no funds raised

Kent County Commissioner District 5

Vanessa E. Lee (D) – no funds raised.

Dave Hildenbrand (R) – Raised $4200.00, with top donors being Dan DeVos $1225.00, Doug DeVos $1225.00, Richard DeVos $1225.00, and the Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $500.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20243.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 6

Nicholas VanderVeen (D) – $5369.00, with top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $3000.00, Nicholas Vander Veen $1,692.00, Patrick Miles $500.00, Brennen Gorman $250.00, and Jai Maw $100.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20217.PDF 

Stan Stek (R) – Raised $26,075.00, with top donors being Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $7000.00, Betsy DeVos $1225.00, Daniel DeVos $1225.00, Doug DeVos $1225.00, and Maria DeVos $1225.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20288.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 7

Sonia Riley (D) – no funds raised.

Stan Ponstein (R) – Raised $1000.00, with top donors being Commercial Alliance of Realtors PAC $500.00 and Stan Ponstein $500.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20099.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 8

Chris Herweyer (D) – Raised $19,103.80, with the top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $3000.00, Climate Cabinet PAC $2000.00, Michigan LCV PAC $1500.00, Joshua Ferguson $1225.00, and Tracy Dobson $800.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20278.PDF 

Dan Burrill (R) – Raised $30,500.00, with the top donors being The Friends of West Michigan Business PAC $7000.00, Mark Bissell $1225.00, Betsy DeVos $1225.00, Dan DeVos $1225.00, and Doug DeVos $1225.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20148.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 9

Matt Kallman (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 10

Roslund Harris (D) – Raised $1080.00, with the top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, Paul Kearny $200.00, Johnny Know $100.00, Christopher Polzin $100.00, and Angela Bunn $50.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20761.PDF 

Bill Hirsch (R) – Raised $6806.31, with the top donors being Christine Guitierrez $1000.00, Dennis Heffron $1000.00, Anna Timmer $1000.00, Eric Fouch $500.00, and Tim Zanderberg $500.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20145.PDF 

Robin Halsted (R) – Raised $42,476.91, with the top donors being Maintain Our Majority $10,000.00, John/Nancy Kennedy $2450.00, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $2000.00, Mark/Mary Bissell $1225.00, and Betsy DeVos $1225.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20678.PDF 

Kent County Commissioner District 11

Alyssa Joy Arnemann (D) – no funds raised

Lindsey Thiel (R) – Raised $44,520.00, with the tops donors being TGIF Victory Fund $12,250.00, Sidney Jansma Jr $2450.00, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $1500.00, Mark Bissell $1225.00, and Betsy DeVos $1225.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20327.PDF 

Steve Kenyon (R) – no funds raised

Kent County Commissioner District 12

Monica Sparks (D) – Raised $1750.00, with the top donors being Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan $500.00, Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20604.PDF 

H. Lee White (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 13

Michelle McCloud (D) – Raised $4255.00, with the top donors being Michelle McCloud $3000.00, Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, and the Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20415.PDF 

Nick Prill (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 14

Carol M. Hennessy (D) – Raised $750.00, with the top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, and the Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20409.PDF 

Catherine Edwards (R) – no funds raised

Kent County Commissioner District 15

Lisa S Oliver-King (D) – Raised $2185.00, with the top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, and the Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20425.PDF 

Alexa Otte (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 16

Melissa LaGrand (D) – Raised $2395.00, with the top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, Robert VanStright $500.00, Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $250.00, Isabelle Selles $250.00, and Judy Freeman $100.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20379.PDF 

Emil Savoy (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 17

Tony Baker (D) – Raised $12,270.00, with the top donors being Jim Williams $1000.00, Robert Wolford $1000.00, Tony Baker $800.00, Paul Boyer $500.00, and McCalvery Merchant PAC $500.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20412.PDF 

Robert Womack (D) – Raised $3750.00, with the top donors being Ven Johnson $1200.00, Robert Womack $1000.00, Wayman Britt $300.00, Richard Thrush $300.00, and Johnathan Veldt $300.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/21769.PDF 

Jason Gillikin (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 18

Steve Faber (D) – Raised $25,740.00, with the top donors being Steve Faber $10,124.34, Taggert Town $1225.00, Lisa Town $1225.00, James Williams $1225.00, and the Grand Rapids Chamber PAC $1000.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20353.PDF 

Dan Hesse (D) – Raised $10,059.02, with the top donors being Kathryn Smith $1225.00, Angelyn Royce $500.00, Dan Hesse $485.00, Richard Maycroft $450.00, and Duncan McCleod $420.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20404.PDF 

James R. Rinck (D) – Raised $22,620.64, with the top donors being James Rinck $22,500.00, Mike Koelzer $97.07, Tom Trzybinski $23.84, and Ryan Wieland $.73. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20738.PDF 

Josie Kornev (R) – Raised $2788.59, with the top donors being Anna Timmer $500.00, Michael Dubiel $300.00, Duane Gritter $260.59, Martha Schaut $200.00, and Barbara & Dave Agema $100.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20236.PDF 

Tim Allen (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 19

Kris Pachla (D) – Raised $1850.00, with the top donors being Friends of West Michigan Business PAC $500.00, Kent County Democratic Party $500.00, Johnathan Vandenberg $250.00, Mark Pachla $200.00, and Kathleen Underwood $150.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20422.PDF 

Karen G. Machiorlatti (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 20

Nancy L. Morales (D) – Raised $2015.00, with the top donors being Kent County Democratic Party $1000.00, Nancy Morales $300.00, Mark McClain $100.00, Dale Hurst $100.00, and Ericka Lozano-Buhl $100.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/21486.PDF 

Derek Anderson (R) – Raised $2820.00, with the top donors being Norma Vankuiken $1000.00, Derek Anderson $500.00, Marty Shaut $220.00, Bonnie Burke $240.00, and Adlai Brown $200.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/21719.PDF 

David Lee Boelkes (R) – no funds raised.

Kent County Commissioner District 21

Walter Bujak (R) – Raised $1225.00. https://campaignfinance.us/docs.kent.mi/20376.PDF 

As you can see for yourself, there are certain names of Political Action Committees and individuals that are the primary donors to campaigns for Kent County Commission. Some districts are sacrificed, since candidates have not raised any money. Like the previous posts I have done about campaign financing in Kent County and in the City of Grand Rapids, those with deep pockets are likely to get their candidates elected, which  often means that policies at the city and county level will not challenge systems of power and oppression.