While the winners of Cumberland County’s two seats in the state Senate and four seats in the state House elections on Tuesday are largely preordained by their gerrymandered districts, the candidates have still been raising money and campaigning.
Their campaign spending and fundraising can give hints as to how well they will perform in the election — though spending more money doesn’t guarantee success.
Below is campaign finance data available for the candidates seeking state House Districts 42, 43, 44 and 45 in Cumberland County, state Senate District 19 in Cumberland County, and state Senate District 21 that serves Moore and Cumberland counties.
Some of the candidate finance data available to the public is current through the third quarter. But some of the published data has not been updated since the summer. The reports were due to the North Carolina State Board of Elections by Oct. 29, and it takes some time for the elections staff to process material submitted from hundreds of campaigns across the state.
State Senate District 19 — Val Applewhite vs. Semone Pemberton vs. Steven Swinton
Democratic incumbent Sen. Val Applewhite:
- Starting cash: $736.28
- Raised/received through Oct. 19: $44,333.51
- Spent through Oct. 19: $16,313.22
- Cash on hand as of Oct. 19: $28,756.57
Republican candidate Semone Pemberton
(As of Monday afternoon, data for Pemberton’s third quarter donations and spending was published on the State Board of Elections website. Pemberton said her treasurer submitted her paperwork on time.)
- Starting cash: $0
- Raised/received through June 30: $33,929.08
- Spent through June 30: $7,767.95
- Cash on hand as of June 30: $26,161.13
Libertarian candidate Steven Swinton
(As of Monday afternoon, Swinton had filed no campaign finance reports since he filed paperwork to set up his campaign in December.)
State Senate District 21 — Tom McInnis vs. Maurice (Butch) Holland Jr.
Republican incumbent Sen. Tom McInnis
- Starting cash: $82,393.81
- Raised/received through Oct. 19: $311,523.43
- Spent through Oct. 19: $323,935.26
- Cash on hand as of Oct. 19: $69,981.98
- Additional contributions since Oct. 19: $13,200 (including $2,800 from Cumberland County commissioner candidate Pavan Patel)
Democratic candidate Maurice (Butch) Holland Jr.
- Starting cash: $0
- Raised/received through Oct. 19: $17,243.48
- Spent through Oct. 19: $13,059.69
- Cash on hand as of Oct. 19: $4,183.79
State House District 42 — Mike Colvin vs. Leonard Bryant
Democratic Candidate Mike Colvin
(Note: This section of this article has been revised. Mike Colvin and his treasurer, Sharon Johnson, told CityView on Monday evening that Colvin’s first campaign treasurer made mistakes in the campaign’s financial reports late last year and early this year. Johnson replaced the first treasurer in March. The figures below, from Colvin’s most-recent campaign finance report, are dependent on earlier, likely erroneous data, Johnson said. She said she will submit corrected figures to the State Board of Elections after she resolves her predecessor’ errors.)
- Raised/received through Oct. 19: $14,055.00
- Spent through Oct. 19: $13,372.61
- Cash on hand as of Oct. 19: $8,137.18
- Colvin lent his campaign $18,073.52.
Republican candidate Leonard Bryant
- Starting cash: $0
- Loans Bryant made to his campaign: $5,500
- Raised/received through Oct. 19: $11,379.40
- Spent through Oct. 19: $10,688.44
- Cash on hand as of Oct. 19: $690.96
- Additional contributions since Oct. 19: $1,562.81 (from Cumberland County commissioners candidate Pavan Patel)
State House District 43 — Diane Wheatley vs. Janene (Dublin) Ackles
Republican state Rep. Diane Wheatley
(As of Monday afternoon, Wheatley’s third quarter report had not been published on the State Board of Elections website. She said her campaign submitted her paperwork on time.)
- Starting cash: $38,592.68
- Raised/received through June 30: $55,290.00
- Spent through June 30: $29,744.73
- Cash on hand as of June 30: $64,137.95
- Additional contributions reported since Oct. 19: $1,000 from Mac Healy of Healy Wholesale Co. in Fayetteville.
Democratic candidate Janene (Dublin) Ackles
(As of Monday, Ackles’ second quarter and third quarter report had not been published on the State Board of Elections website. There also appears to be errors in her paperwork.)
- Starting cash: Unclear.
- Raised/received through Feb. 17: Appears to be $200.
- Spent through Feb. 17: Appears to be $283.14
- Cash on hand as of Feb. 17: $216.86
State House District 44 — Charles Smith vs. Freddie de la Cruz
Democratic incumbent Rep. Charles Smith
(As of Monday afternoon, Smith’s third quarter report had not been published on the State Board of Elections website. He told CityView he filed it on time.)
- Starting cash: $10,218.36
- Raised/received through June 30: $1,609.51
- Spent through June 30: $9,630.18
- Cash on hand as of June 30: $2,197.69
- Additional contributions reported since Oct. 19: $1,000 from the N.C. Home Builders Association Political Action Committee
Republican candidate Freddie de la Cruz
(As of Monday afternoon, de la Cruz’s third quarter report had not been published on the State Board of Elections website. He said it was turned in on time, and he had raised and spent less than $3,000.)
- Starting cash: $0
- Raised/received through June 30: $362.31
- Spent through June 30: $240.31
- Cash on hand as of June 30: $122.00
State House District 45 — Frances Vinell Jackson (unopposed)
Democratic incumbent Frances Vinell Jackson
(As of Monday afternoon, Jackson’s third quarter report had not been published on the State Board of Elections website.)
- Starting cash: $9,695.83
- Raised/received through June 30: $4,855.51
- Spent through June 30: $5,713.40
- Cash on hand as of June 30: $8,837.94
Senior reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at 910-261-4710 and pwoolverton@cityviewnc.com.
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