STARKVILLE — Incumbent Lynn Spruill has outspent her opponents more than 10 times combined ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic mayoral primary.
Spruill reported $45,349 in fundraising in the mayor’s race since Jan. 1, according to campaign finance documents she filed with the city clerk’s office by Tuesday’s deadline. Her opponents Brenna Betts and Charles Yarbrough raised only $3,551 and $1,100 respectively in that period.
Candidates are required to file campaign finance reports periodically and itemize contributions and expenses in excess of $200. Only candidates in contested party primaries were required to report this period.
More than half of the money Spruill raised is her own, making a $10,000 donation to her own campaign Feb. 28 and a $15,000 donation March 4.
Spruill received $2,500 from the Democratic-centered Save Our State Political Action Committee. Other contributions include $1,000 each from Robert and Deborah Bresnahan, Frieda Buckley/Doug Devlin, Julie Brown, PIP, Lydia Quarles, Gary and Deb Shafer; $804.95 from Rick Welch; $500 each from John Bean, Camp Brothers LLC, Frank Chiles, Dan Camp Family Trust, Friends of Bart Williams, Carey Hardin, Jim Hurt, K Moreland and Jackson LLC, Mark and Rhonda Keenum, David Mollendor, Perry and Michele Rackley, Mike and Mary Love Tagert, Ron Whitehead and Bart Wood/Lil’ Dooey’s; $250 each from Mark Amos, Wesley Ferguson, Philip Griffin, Johnny Mack and Martha Morrow and George Sills; as well as $2,795 non-itemized.
Spruill has spent $54,557.56 and has $13,010.79 on hand.
Betts, a high school teacher and former parks worker, raised $1,000 from Ty Curran; $400 from Sarah O’Neill; $250 each from Logan Betts and Russ Marane; $200 each from Sammie Calder and John Hunter Jr.; as well as $1,751 non-itemized.
Betts has spent $1,892.72 and has $1,508.68 on hand.
Yarbrough, Starkville’s former fire chief, self-funded $200 of his campaign, received another $500 from Rayfield Evans Jr. and $200 each from Hamp Beatty and Dexter Yarbrough.
Yarbrough has spent $5,034 and has $327.94 on hand.
The Democratic primary winner will face Republican Roger Bassett in the June 3 general election.
Ward 3
Ward 3 Republican challenger James Skinner raised $10,764 during the filing period, more than double what his opponents managed.
He received $5,000 from Mike McDaniel; $500 from Jordan Gillentine; and reported $5,264 as non-itemized.
Skinner has spent $5,855.01 and has $4,908.99 on hand.
Incumbent Republican Jeffrey Rupp raised $4,689 during the filing period.
He self-funded $1,300 of his campaign. Other contributions include $1,000 from James Hurt; $500 each from Mark Castleberry and David Clark; $300 from the Cheatham Eye Clinic, $200 each from Lee Harris, Neel-Schaffer and Mike Rowell; as well as $489 non-itemized.
Rupp has spent $3,337 and has $461.34 on hand.
Though not required to file a report this period, Democratic candidate Laurel Rowse reported raising $1,457 during the filing period.
She raised $500 from Richard Rowse; $400 from Dennis Truax; $250 from Susan Colantuono; as well as $307 non-itemized.
Rowse has spent $802.21 and has $654.79 on hand.
Ward 6
Incumbent Democrat Roy A. Perkins raised $1,242.70, self-funding $202.70 and reporting $1,040 as non-itemized.
Perkins reported spending all of his funds this period.
His primary opponent, Tomeka Rhine, failed to file a campaign finance report by the deadline.
There is no Republican or independent in the Ward 6 race, meaning the primary winner will take the seat.
Ward 7
Neither incumbent Democrat Henry Vaughn nor his opponent Nedra Lowery filed the required campaign finance report by Tuesday’s deadline. The winner of the primary will take the seat.
Ward 2 Alderwoman Sandra Sistrunk and Ward 5 independent candidate William Pochop both filed reports showing less than $100 in fundraising and spending. Both candidates are running unopposed.
Ward 1 Alderwoman Kim Moreland and Ward 4 Alderman Mike Brooks are also running unopposed and did not file a report.
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