STARKVILLE — With a supervisor and constable primary set to be decided by a Tuesday runoff, the latter race has raked in the most money over the past few weeks.
Candidates in party primary runoffs for county offices were required to file campaign finance reports with the circuit clerk by 5 p.m. Tuesday. The reports note contributions and expenditures from July 30-Aug. 19, and candidates are required to itemize individual donations or spending of more than $200.
Kenny Watkins reported raising $1,520 during the pre-runoff filing period in the Republican runoff for District 1 constable. George Parnell pitched in $500, while Andrew and Stacy George and Christi Watkins each gave $250. The other $520 is reported as non-itemized. However, he reported spending only $13.75 for the period.
Year-to-date, Watkins reports $4,770 in contributions — $1,500 of which are from Parnell — and $2,339.60 in expenditures, leaving him with $2,430.40 on hand.
Watkins’ opponent, Joe Morse, reported raising a non-itemized $100 for the period and spending $3,496.72, all of which is also listed as non-itemized.
Year-to-date, Morse reports raising $320 against $7,742.08 in expenditures.
Watkins placed first in the three-candidate Aug. 8 primary, with Morse placing second by only 11 votes.
The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will face Democrat William Ford in the Nov. 7 general election.
In the Republican runoff for District 1 supervisor, Ben Carver reported $400 in non-itemized contributions for the period with no spending. Year-to-date, he reported raising $6,210, while spending $6242.40.
His opponent, Ed Whitehurst, reported spending $956.71 this period with no contributions. His latest report shows no contributions and $7,532.73 in spending year-to-date.
Carver, who earned more than 47% of the vote, handily placed first Aug. 8 in the four-candidate primary with Whitehurst in second at 32%.
Tuesday’s winner will face Democrat Erik Young on Nov. 7.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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