WEST POINT — Two Democratic candidates for mayor have raised more than $38,000 combined ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.
Candidates for municipal races running in party primaries were required to file campaign finance primary pre-election reports by 5 p.m. Tuesday. Those reports must include the totals a candidate took in and spent, as well as itemize, or identify, each contribution or disbursement of more than $200. Those $200 or less can be considered non-itemized and are not required to be identified.
Cole Bryan led the way at deadline, reporting $21,849 in contributions, $5,649 of which were not itemized. His itemized donations — which the city clerk’s office provided The Dispatch in a handwritten list instead of on the official form — included $4,200 from M. Sundbeck and Joy; $4,000 from J. Bryan; $1,200 from Old Waverly Properties; $1,000 from Robinhoods; $600 from S. Jameson; $500 each from K. Dill Jr., J. Pope and M. Sandown, C. Barbee, R. Mortimer, R. Bryan, B. Sugg., S. McKinney and L. Barton; $400 from F. Hopper; $300 from F. Haas; and $250 each from B. Milican and A. McClellan.
Bryan has spent $12,585.72 so far and has $9,263.28 on hand.
Fellow Democrat Rod Bobo has raised $16,450, including $2,000 not itemized. His itemized contributions include $5,000 from J-5 GBL; $3,500 from MO Spicer Inc.; $1,700 from Janice Matthews; $1,000 each from Robinhoods and Jermaine Moore; $900 from Sherry Williams; $500 from Malcolm Sykes; $300 each from Romario Johnson and Jerry Robinson; and $250 from Kemuel Robertson.
Bobo has spent $13,599.66 and has $11,174.17 on hand.
A third Democrat who qualified for the mayor’s race, Tammy Parkerson, did not submit a campaign finance report by the deadline. The winner of the primary will face independent Homer Ryland Jr. and Constitution Party candidate Jennifer Harper in the June 8 general election.
In board of selectmen races, Democrat Jonas Robinson has raised $6,650 in his bid to unseat incumbent Ken Poole.
Robinson reported $1,400 in non-itemized contributions, as well as $3,000 from Milton Sundbeck; $1,000 from Carroll Hazzard; $500 each from Neil Coker and Scooba Squirrell Shooters; and $250 from Bryanmere Inc.
He has reported spending $2,679.72 and has $3,970.28 on hand.
In Ward 1, Democrat Linda Hannah reported no contributions and $956.67 in spending, while Colby Pennington — a Democrat running in Ward 5 — reported no contributions and $404.79 in spending.
City Clerk Eddie Longstreet told The Dispatch none of the opposed incumbents — including Ward 1’s Leta Turner, Ward 3’s Ken Poole and Ward 5’s Jasper Pittman — had turned in the March 30 campaign finance reports even as of Saturday, despite the law requiring it. All three of those races will be decided Tuesday, since only Democrats are running.
Ward 2 Selectman William Binder and Ward 4 Selectman Keith McBrayer are both running unopposed and were not required to submit campaign finance reports for the March 30 deadline.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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