The public is getting their best glimpse inside candidate’s finances ahead of Detroit’s nonpartisan Aug. 5 primary election that will determine the two candidates who will face each other in the Nov. 4 general election.
While many candidates formed their campaign committees prior to the reporting period from Jan. 1 through July 20, several who announced after the latest filing period in April revealed for the first time who is donating to their campaign.
Most of the donations to Detroit mayoral candidates come from outside of city limits. The top three candidates raised $526,560 from Detroit addresses, while $1.5 million of donations came from non residents, according to BrideDetroit.
BridgeDetroit’s Malachi Barrett put together an interactive virtual map showing where mayoral donations are coming from using campaign disclosures published to the Wayne County campaign finance website.
You can search through the disclosures by going to the county’s elections website, clicking the orange “campaign finance website” button, and then clicking “view filed reports” on the left hand side of the screen. Once you’ve reached this page, type the name of a candidate into the “Committee Name” bar.
Here’s what we found:
Detroit City Council member Mary Sheffield raised $737,176, which leads the nine candidate field, campaign finance records show. Her campaign ended the latest reporting period with $451,478 on hand, spending funds on mailers, consulting fees, staff wages and travel to Chicago for a fundraiser earlier this month hosted by local leaders.
Sheffield received major support from individuals from around Metro Detroit and across the country. She received $30,000 from the Deldin Law PAC; $20,000 from SEIU Local 1; $20,000 from the MI Regional Council of Carpenters PAC; $10,000 from Miller Canfield PAC; $10,000 from Rock Holdings Inc. State PAC; $8,325 from the Unite Here Tip Campaign Committee; and $1,500 from the Teamsters Local 283 Political Action Committee.
Triumph Church pastor Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. raised $407,548, ending the reporting period with $55,976. Kinloch spent more than $350,000 on campaign consulting, website development and a co-working office space at Chroma in New Center.
Kinloch’s top donations came from medical physicians, business owners and members of his church. His wife, Robin Kinloch, and Dora Brown, Triumph Church’s chief financial officer, both gave the maximum amount allowed by individuals, $8,325. Sherrie Lynn Farrell, chief diversity officer at the Detroit Regional Chamber, Angelique Strong Marks, the chief legal officer for Cars.com, Stellantis executive Marvin Washington and Renee Hall, founder of a law enforcement consulting firm, all gave the maximum amount. He also received $1,000 from former U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield.
Comcast Corporation & NBC Universal PAC also donated $1,000 to Kinloch’s campaign.
Nonprofit leader Saunteel Jenkins raised $400,961 in the most recent reporting period, ending with $49,949 in her war chest. She’s raised a total of $517,670 since her December filing, spending $467,721 of that amount in the months since she formed her campaign committee. She also loaned herself an additional $71,500.
Jenkins’ top donors include Rudah Saghir, the president of Fairlane Construction, Louay Hussein of J and T Nationwide Recovery, a towing service, and Ann Nicholson of Grosse Pointe Woods, who is is married to James Nicholson, co-chairman of PVS Chemicals. Nicholson also gave Jenkins $1,000. Joyce Hace Giles, a former vice president of public affairs at DTE, donated $5,000. Tricia Keith, CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan, gave Jenkins $2,500.
City councilman Fred Durhal, raised $252,744, bringing in $140,966 in the reporting period from Jan. 1 to July 20. He has $52,66 in his war chest.
The Detroit Regional Chamber PAC donated $5,000 to Durhal’s campaign after endorsing him earlier this month. Business and real estate leaders made up much of his contributions. Tellem of the Pisons donated $8,000, Roger Basmajian, the CEO of real estate firm Basco, donated $5,000. HUD employee Esther Haugabook, a city council candidate in District 5, gave Durhal $250.
Attorney Todd Perkins raised $219,425, ending the reporting period with $38,721. A previous version of his filing showed Perkins ending balance at $82.
Perkins’ donors include Gasper Fiore, a towing consultant who in 2018 was sentenced to prison for bribery donated $500; Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, a former state representative and school board member donated $750; Colling Goree, the owner of Colling Homes, the owner of an assisted living community.
Perkins also loaned his campaign $56,723 in loans, with $31,723 coming from Perkins himself and the rest from Michele Bryant. Bryant’s relationship with Perkins is not clear.
Former police chief James Craig has raised $23,060, with a remaining balance of $2,928. He spent most of the money on administrative expenses, printing campaign literature and media consulting. Former GOP chair Ron Weiser was Craig’s top donor, giving his campaign $8,325, the max amount for individual donors.
Longshot candidates Jonathan Barlow and Joel Haashiim both raised less than $2,500.
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