Local candidates draw nearly $500,000 in contributions
Published 5:46 pm Monday, May 3, 2010
Shelby County candidates jockeying for seats on the Alabama Legislature recently raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions about a month before the June 1 primary election.
The 15 Republican candidates and two Democratic candidates vying for seats on the Alabama Senate and House of Representatives recently submitted their campaign finance reports to the Alabama Secretary of State’s office.
In the District 15 Senate race, Republican Slade Blackwell, a Birmingham resident, brought in a total of $224,240 in contributions.
Blackwell’s largest donation was from the Associated Builders and Contractors Political Action Committee, which contributed $93,700.
Senate District 15 incumbent Steve French, R-Birmingham, reported a total of $89,800 in contributions. Brother PAC and Forest PAC each donated $10,000 to French’s campaign.
Republican Cam Ward, an Alabaster resident and the only candidate who qualified for the District 14 Senate seat, reported $24,850 in contributions.
The Alabama Builders PAC donated $5,000, and the Alabama Wholesale Beer PAC and BIZ PAC each donated $3,000 to Ward’s campaign.
Jabo Waggoner, a Republican and the only candidate for the District 16 Senate seat, brought in $21,900 in contributions. His largest donors were the Alabama Optometric PAC, the Trucking Association PAC and the Truck Operators PAC, each of which donated $5,000.
District 41 Republican House candidates Mike Hill, of Columbiana, and Pelham resident Stephen Bryant raised $20,700 and $1,012, respectively. Hill’s largest contribution came from the Alabama Voice of Teachers for Education PAC, at $7,500, and all of Bryant’s contributions were self loans.
Democratic District 42 House incumbent James Martin, of Clanton, raised $16,550, $3,000 of which came from the Alabama Wholesale Beer PAC.
Martin’s Republican challenger, Maplesville Mayor Kurt Wallace, self-loaned his campaign $1,000.
Republican District 43 House candidates Mary Sue McClurkin and Brittany Tate raised $11,250 and $1,000, respectively. McClurkin’s top donors were the Alabama Coal Association PAC, The Cosby Company, BI PAC and the Retailers of Alabama PAC, each of which donated $1,000. All of Tate’s contributions were self loaned.
Vestavia Hills resident Greg Canfield, a Republican and the only candidate for the District 48 House seat, raised $7,149. The Alabama Wholesale Beer PAC donated $2,000 to his campaign.
In the crowded Republican District 49 House race, Helena resident Jack Gray raised $7,185, $1,000 of which came from Helena Mayor Sonny Penhale. Alabaster resident James Lee loaned himself $4,000.
Alabaster Councilman Jim McClain raised $5,600 in contributions. His top donors were Trussville residents Jeffrey and Donna Brumlow, FAX PAC, IM PAC and the Trucking Association PAC, each of which donated $1,000.
Shelby Baptist Medical Center Director of Business Development April Weaver raised $8,775, $1,000 of which came from the Horizon PAC.
Republican Springville resident Jim McClendon, the only candidate for the District 50 House seat, raised $11,875. Birmingham resident Paul Batson, Trussville resident Bradley White, Horizon PAC and Pell City resident Curtis Capps donated $1,000 each to his campaign.