Campaign signs for Republicans Rod Bray and Jay Hart, who are running in the Indiana Senate District 37, and Republican Ron Bates, who is running for Johnson County Council at large, along State Road 135 in Bargersville on Monday.
Jayden Kennett | Daily Journal
Anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars are being raised and spent by state-level candidates as they try to shore up support ahead of elections this year.
This year, voters across Johnson County have candidates on the ballot from all levels. Statewide offices include Indiana Senate Districts 32, 36 and 37, along with House Districts 47, 57, 58 and 60. Only one of these offices is contested for the May 7 primary: Senate District 37. All local districts are contested in the fall.
Campaign finance reports filed earlier this month show political action committees, businesses and individual donors are doling out cash to boost their chosen candidates as they try to win votes. Campaign spending is generally looked at as a measure of the amount of support for a particular candidate.
The Daily Journal looked at campaign finance report filings covering Jan. 1 to April 12, the end of the pre-election reporting period. Here’s what the filings showed.
Senate District 37
Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray has a hefty campaign war chest as he faces a challenge from fellow Republican Jay Hart.
Bray started the period with $648,024.96 in the bank, adding $59,894.47 in contributions through the end of the filing period. He received 11 individual contributions totaling $8,880, along with contributions from Indiana Michigan Power, Sunrise Coal and reimbursements from the campaigns for Peggy Mayfield and Craig Haggard. There was also a $41,073.97 in-kind contribution from the Indiana Republican State Committee, according to his filing.
Two political action committees also donated to Bray during the filing period: American Electric Power gave $3,000, while Republicans United to Defend You gave $1,000, his filing shows.
He also had two large contributions reported after the reporting deadline: $1,000 from Roche Diagnostic’s Corporation PAC and $2,000 from the Indiana Wholesale Distributors Association, filings show.
As for expenses, Bray has spent $10,139.17 on operations and $134,843.97 on advertising. He’s contributed $2,500 to State Treasurer Daniel Elliot’s campaign, $300 to Sen. Mark Messmer’s campaign for Indiana’s 8th Congressional District, $250 to Sen. Jeff Raatz’s campaign for Indiana’s 6th Congressional District, and $250 to Sen. Andy Zay’s campaign for Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District, filings show.
Hart started the period with $0 in the bank, raising $10,696.20. A majority of the funds — $8,696.20 were from individuals, including a $5,000 contribution from Sid Mahant, who was disqualified to run for Indiana’s 6th Congressional District, and a $100 contribution from former Greenwood mayoral candidate Joe Hubbard. He also received $2,000 from ST Trading Inc, an Indianapolis wholesaler, according to his filing.
As for expenses, Hart reported spending $8,742.77 — a majority of which has funded Facebook advertising and signage, his filing shows.
Democrat Kimberly Scholfield, who will face the district’s Republican nominee in the fall, reported no expenses or contributions. She has a zero balance on hand, her filing shows.
Senate District 36
Candidates who are uncontested in May but are challenged in the fall are also adding to their campaign war chests — including for Senate District 36.
Republican incumbent Cyndi Carrasco reported having $72,898.96 in the bank at the start of the reporting period — she also received $39,852 in contributions. Of that, 29 of the contributions are from individuals, including Bargersville Town Council member Andrew Greenwood, according to her filing.
Three PACS have donated to Carrasco during the period: Heritage Builds gave $300, Indiana Merit-Construction gave $750 and the Lawyers Political Action Committee of Indiana gave $2,500. Four other organizations also donated: the Indiana Republican State Committee gave $12,438.80 through an in-kind contribution for mailings, Republic National Distributing Company of Indiana gave $500, Sandlin for Senate gave $5,000 and Tuohy Bailey & Moore LLP gave $100, filings show.
She also had six large contributions reported after the deadline: Catalyst Public Affairs gave $1,000, Hoosiers for Quality Education PAC gave $2,500, McNeelyLaw PAC gave $2,500, Indiana BANKPAC gave $1,00, Business Advocacy Committee gave $2,000 and an Indianapolis woman gave $1,033.06, according to filings.
Carrasco has spent $68,257.19, with $24,682.28 going toward operations and $5,304.48 going toward advertising. She’s contributed $500 to Ethan Lawson for Indiana and $1,000 to Messmer for Congress, according to filings.
Her fall opponent, Democrat Suzanne Fortenberry has raised $5,375.50 since starting with $0 in cash on hand. She received 10 individual contributions — eight of which were in-kind contributions from herself, according to filings.
Through ActBlue, Fortenberry has received $3,653.74, which she listed as PAC contributions. She also received a $310 in-kind contribution from the Indiana Senate Democratic Committee for access to a van, filings show.
Fortenberry has spent $4,007.87, a majority of which — $3,211 — has gone toward advertising through direct and in-kind contributions. The rest have gone to operations, her filings show.
Senate District 32
Republican incumbent Aaron Freeman started the period with $174,068.68 and raised another $22,702.50. He’s received $16,250 from three individual contributors — one of which donated $15,000, along with $1,000 from the Indiana Dental PAC and $2,000 from the Indiana Multi-Family Housing PAC. Oke Enterprises of Batavia, Illinois, donated $3,000 to his campaign and Foundation of Excellence in Education gave him a $326.50 refund for a conference, according to his filing.
He also had one large contribution reported after the deadline: $1,000 from an Indianapolis man.
Freeman has spent $15,615.62 — $11,118.35 of which went to operations. He spent $949 on advertising in the Franklin Township Informer in Indianapolis, and contributed $1,000 to Mike Speedy for Congress, his filing shows.
His challenger, Katrina Owens, has raised $3,484 since starting with $0 in the bank. She has received 47 individual contributions totaling the amount she raised, her filing shows.
She has spent $629.54 so far, of which $538.40 has been spent on advertising. The rest has funded operations, according to her filing.
House District 47
State Rep. Robb Greene, R-Shelbyville, started with $23,333.19 in the bank and raised $700 during the period. He received one individual contribution of $200 from a Franklin woman, and $500 from Henry Archer Strategy Group of Bloomington, according to the filing.
Greene has spent $9,067.39, of which at least $1,318.93 has gone toward operations. While other expenses were missing a categorization code, he also purchased stamps and paid for printing services, his filing shows.
His opponent, Democrat Michael Potter, has raised $460.18 since starting with $0 in the bank. He gave his campaign $100 and received $360.18 from ActBlue Indiana, according to his filing.
He’s spent $12, which was used to open a bank account.
House District 58
Republican incumbent Michelle Davis started with $20,371.14 and raised $800 in contributions. She’s received $300 from the Indiana American Water PAC and $500 from the Indiana BANKPAC, her filing shows.
Davis has spent $7,537.25, of which $738.75 has gone to operations, including meetings at various Indianapolis-area restaurants. As for advertising, she’s spent $4,795.92; she also contributed $1,000 to Chuck Goodrich for Congress, her filing shows.
Democrat Sandy James, Davis’ fall challenger, has raised $1,550 since starting with $0 in the bank. She’s received 33 individual contributions — including a $100 contribution from herself, according to her filing.
James has spent $516.65, mostly on advertising and operations expenses.
House District 60
State Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville, started with $126,371.34 in the bank but reported no contributions during the filing period. As for expenses, Mayfield reported spending $3,495.85 — $184.15 in operations and $2,770 in advertising, her filing shows.
Mayfield’s fall opponent, Democrat Michelle Higgs, raised $2,400 since starting with $0 in the bank. She received 16 individual contributions, according to her filing.
Higgs has spent $491.84, mostly on operations. She also owes $430.26 in debt for her campaign, her filing shows.
BY THE NUMBERS
Here is a look at how much was raised and spent in some of the races from January through mid-April, based on April campaign finance reports:
Senate District 32
- Aaron Freeman (R): Raised $22,602.50; spent $15,615.62
- Katrina Owens (D): Raised $0; spent $0
Senate District 36
- Cynthia “Cyndi” Carrasco (R): Raised $39,852.47; spent $68,257.19
- Suzanne Fortenberry (D): Raised $5,375.50; spent $4,007.87
Senate District 37
- Rodric D. Bray (R): Raised $59,894.47; spent $153,094.10
- Jay Hart (R): Raised $10,696.20; spent $8,742.77
- Kimberly M. Schofield (D): Raised $0; spent $0
House District 47
- Robb Greene (R): Raised $700; spent $9,067.39
- Michael E. Potter (D): Raised $460.18; spent $12
House District 57
- Craig Haggard (R): Raised $0; spent $7,052.84
House District 58
- Michelle Davis (R): Raised $800; spent $7,537.25
- Sandy James (D): Raised $1,550; spent $516.65
House District 60
- Michelle Higgs (D): Raised $2,400; spent $491.84
- Peggy Mayfield (R): Raised $0; spent $3,495.85
