Follow the Money: State House Races in West Michigan with lots of corporate PAC money

All week long I have been providing documentation on campaign finances around candidates for political races in Grand Rapids and Kent County, along with the group behind the Hotel Tax ballot initiative, the Destination Kent Committee. I even posted a piece about how West MI dominates funding to the House Republican Campaign Committee and the Senate Republican Campaign Committee. Today I want to look at campaign contributions to the 10 different State House races in West Michigan. 

State Representative – 78th District 

Christine M. Terpening (D)  – no campaign finance data available

Gina Johnsen (R) – Raised over $50,000, from numerous members of the Capitalist Class, like the DeVos family, etc. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565659/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Jon Rocha (R) – Raised roughly $30,000, with Rocha providing the the largest portion of campaign finances. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/566080/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

State Representative – 79th District 

Jason Rubin (D) – Raised just over $70,000, with almost all of the money coming from Rubin himself. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565693/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Angela Rigas (R) – Raised less than $10,000 from 29 different contributors. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565839/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

State Representative – 80th District 

Phil Skaggs (D) – Raised roughly $25,000, with most of it coming from Corporate and Union PACs. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565796/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Bill Sage (R) – no campaign finance data available

State Representative – 81st District 

Stephen Wooden (D) – Raised over $50,000 from 389 contributors, with the largest from the Kent County Democrats ($7000) and Climate Cabinet PAC ($6000). https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565797/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Jordan Youngquist (R) – no campaign finance data available

State Representative – 82nd District 

Kristian Grant (D) – Raised about $30,000 with $6000 from the Grand Rapids Firefighter Union PAC, $5000 from the  Michigan Manufactured Housing, RV, and Campground Association and $3500 from the Michigan Realtors PAC, all of which is important since Rep. Grant is the chair of the Housing Committee. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/564788/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Ryan Malinoski (R) – no campaign finance data available

State Representative – 83rd District 

John Fitzgerald (D) – Raised over $100,000 from numerous PACs and individuals who gave $1000 or more. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565701/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Tommy Brann (R) – Raised around $40,000, with contributions from many of the members of the Grand Rapids Power Structure. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565856/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

State Representative – 84th District 

Carol Glanville (D) – Raised over $100,000 with big contributions from numers Democratic Party PACs, Union PACs and several corporate PACs. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565759/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Justin Rackham (D) – no campaign finance data available

Ben June (R) – no campaign finance data available

State Representative – 89th District 

Lois E. Maassen (D) – Raised around $5000, with no large donors. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/564883/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Luke Meerman (R) – Raised around $10,000, with a few $1000 or more contributors. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/564853/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

State Representative – 90th District 

William J. Higgins (D) – no campaign finance data available

Bryan Posthumus (R) – Raised nearly $25,000, with lots of corporate PACs. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565045/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

State Representative – 91st District 

Jason A. Dillingham (D) – Raised less than $10,000, with a few $1000 or more donors. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565277/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

Pat Outman (R) – Raised nearly $30,000, with numerous corporate PACs. https://cfrsearch.nictusa.com/documents/565740/details/filing/contributions?schedule=*&changes=0&page=1 

In the case where there is no campaign finance data available, it means that those candidates are merely a name on the ballot, but likely to lose. There was significant corporate PAC contributions to both Democratic and Republican candidates, which means they hope to influence public policy to protect their interests. There were also a few examples where members of the Grand Rapids Power Structure contributed to candidates, those who best represent their interests.