Editor’s note: This is the first in a series analyzing campaign finance reports for contested offices in Johnson County. First up are local Indiana Statehouse races. A story analyzing local offices — county and school boards — will appear in Saturday’s Daily Journal.
Republicans running for state offices covering Johnson County have a clear fundraising advantage, campaign finance reports show.
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. Almost all of these offices are contested for the Nov. 5 general election, except for House District 57.
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.
These reports include both direct contributions to candidates, such as a direct financial donation to a campaign, and in-kind contributions, which are typically goods or services offered free or at less than the usual charge.
The Daily Journal looked at campaign finance report filings covering April 13 to Oct. 11, the end of the pre-election reporting period. Here’s what the filings showed.
Senate District 32
Republican incumbent Aaron Freeman has significantly out-raised and outspent his Democratic challenger Katrina Owens for this district that covers northeastern Johnson County and southeastern Marion County.
Freeman, an Indianapolis attorney, started the period with $181,055.56 and raised $347,266.47. He received $25,605 from 34 individual contributors — including $3,000 from GOP Indiana 6th District candidate and fellow southsider Jefferson Shreve and $5,000 from southside car dealership owner Ray Skillman, his filing shows.
Corporations gave Freeman $5,553 through direct and in-kind contributions, and other organizations, such as the Senate Majority Campaign Committee, a campaign committee of fellow Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus, and Bose Public Affairs Group, gave Freeman a total of $174,352.72. He received about $139,256 from political action committees — a mix of direct and in-kind contributions from the Indiana Republican State Committee, the Indiana Multi-Family Housing PAC, the Indiana American Water PAC, Indiana Healthcare PAC, and others, according to his filing.
He also had five large contributions reported after the deadline: $1,000 direct from Kelley Automotive Group, a combined $22,706.40 in in-kind contributions from the Senate Majority Campaign Committee and Indiana Republican State Committee, $10,000 from the committee to Elect Jon Ford and $1,000 from the Caresource Mission PAC.
Freeman has spent $352,098.04 — $269,626.52 of which went to operations, including in-kind items from Senate Majority Campaign Committee like direct mailers. He spent $69,275 on advertising, most of which went to TV, his filing shows.
Owens, an Indianapolis consultant, has raised $19,030.71 since starting with $2,854.46 in the bank. She has received 69 individual contributions totaling $7,459, her filing shows.
Corporations and PACs gave Owens $6,750, including the Rise Indy Pac, Indiana Black Legislative Caucus PAC, and campaign committees belonging to Democratic senators JD Ford and Shelli Yoder. She also received an additional large contribution after the deadline from the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus, an in-kind contribution of $7,000, according to her filing.
Owens has spent $9,094.10 so far, of which $4,435.34 has been spent on advertising. The rest has funded operations via ActBlue, fundraisers or other items, according to her filing.
Senate District 36
Republican incumbent Cyndi Carrasco has a hefty cash advantage against Democratic challenger Suzanne Fortenberry for this district that touches areas of Greenwood and Perry Township in Indianapolis.
Carrasco, an Indianapolis attorney, reported having $44,494.24 in the bank at the start of the reporting period, receiving another $222,507.06 in contributions of over the course of the period. Of the latest contributions, 57 came from individuals, including $1,000 from Shreve, according to her filing.
Thirty-five PACs have donated $59,350 to Carrasco during the period, including Hoosier for Quality Education Inc., Indiana Builders PAC, Indiana Medical Pac, Indiana State Ironworkers and Indiana Firefighters. More than 30 other corporations and organizations donated more than $125,000, including campaign committees for Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray and the Senate Majority Campaign Committee, which provided an in-kind contribution, filings show.
She also had one large contribution reported after the deadline — $1,000 from a Greenwood resident, according to filings.
Carrasco has spent $201,859.08, with $93,427.3 going toward operations — including in-kind survey research work — and $112,428.01 going toward advertising — including mailers from the Indiana Republican State Committee.
Fortenberry, a Greenwood resident who among her many roles works at FedEx, has raised $5,235.10 since starting with $1,367.63 in cash on hand. She received 12 individual contributions totaling $1,600, along with a $200 contribution from Greenwood-based company ATM Indy, according to filings.
Through ActBlue, Fortenberry has received $3,085.10, which she listed as PAC contributions. She also received $100 from the Better Indiana PAC, a $250 contribution from the Johnson County Democratic Central Committee, filings show.
Fortenberry has spent $4,139.83, $1,795.90 of which has gone toward advertising, including signs and Facebook ads. Filings show $2,095 went to operations, with the remaining dollars being used for fundraising.
Senate District 37
Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray has a hefty campaign war chest as he faces a challenge from Democrat Kimberly Schofield for the district that covers areas of Johnson, Morgan, Owen and Putnam counties.
Bray started the period with $574,825.33 in the bank, adding $358,526.47 in contributions through the end of the filing period. The Martinsville attorney received 85 individual contributions totaling $27,321.24, along with corporation and organization contributions from Catalyst Public Affairs, Comcast, and Casey’s General Stores. There were also more than $19,073 in in-kind contributions from the Indiana Republican State Committee, according to his filing.
Thirty-three PACS also donated to Bray during the filing period, including Roche Diagnostics Crop, Stand for Children, Indiana Cable and Broadband Association, Cummins, Indiana Realtors and CenterPoint Energy. Bray also received at least 27 contributions from optometry-related fields — including from eye doctors and optometry PACs, his filing shows.
Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers’ campaign, the campaign of Rep. Peggy Mayfield, R-Martinsville, and a couple of local law firms also donated to Bray.
He also had five large contributions reported after the reporting deadline: a combined total of $16,808 from Novartis Services Inc., TELPAC, Poet LLC, the Indiana Republic State Committee and Eli Lilly and Co. PAC, filings show.
As for expenses, Bray has spent a total of $208,355.92, of which more than $200,000 was spent on operations — including newspaper subscriptions — and $11,650 went to advertising.
Schofield, a retiree from Mooresville, reported no expenses or contributions and a zero balance on hand — similar to what she had in the primary, her filing shows.
House District 47
Republican incumbent Robb Greene is leading when it comes to raising and spending campaign funds compared to Democratic challenger Michael Potter for the district that covers most of central and southern Johnson County and areas of Shelby County.
Greene, a consultant of Shelbyville, started with $14,965.80 in the bank and raised $54,301.40 during the period. He received 53 individual contributions, including contributions from Shreve, GOP State Rep. Chuck Goodrich, former Franklin mayor Joe McGuinness, Franklin City Council member Todd Shuck and Johnson County Commissioners Brian Baird and Kevin Walls, according to the filing.
Corporations and organizations that donated to Greene include Bose Public Affairs Group, Kreig DeVault, Catalyst Public Affairs Group, Patriot Products, Best Way of Indiana and a few local law firms. He received a total of $10,298.06, his filing shows.
Greene has also received $16,200 from PACs, including $2,000 from LAWPAC of Indiana, $500 from DukePAC and $2,000 Indiana Deer & Elk Farmer Advocates PAC. Sen. Greg Walker’s campaign also gave $500 to Greene, his filing shows.
He also received large contributions after the reporting deadline — $1,000 from the Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers Good Government Fund.
For expenses, Greene spent $21,777.98, of which at least $2,675.45 has gone toward operations. He also spent funds for fundraising, advertising and other items, his filing shows.
Potter, an environmental scientist of Bargersville, has raised $2,730.47 since starting with $448.18 in the bank. He loaned his campaign $800, received $300 from two individual contributions and $1,130.47 from ActBlue Indiana, according to his filing.
The Better Indiana PAC and the Johnson County Democratic Central Committee both gave him $250, respectively, as well.
Potter has spent $2,765.10, of which about $1,380 went toward operations — including purchases for an event and a duck costume. The remaining expenses went toward advertising, his filing shows.
House District 58
Republican incumbent Michelle Davis has an edge in fundraising and spending in her race against Democrat Sandy James for this district representing areas of Greenwood and Whiteland.
Davis, an educator from Whiteland, started with $13,633.89 and raised $24,550 in contributions. She received $8,250 in individual contributions from nine people, including $1,500 from Baird and $200 from former officeholder Woody Burton, according to her filing.
Seventeen PACs have given Davis funds, including Indiana American Water, AT&T Indiana, the Indiana Ohio Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters-Indiana COPE, Indiana Credit Union, Indiana Firefighters, Duke Energy and Hoosiers for Quality Education. Other organizations that gave Davis funds include Friends of Indiana Hospitals and Patriot Products, her filing shows.
Davis has spent $25,125.03, of which $4026.9 has gone to operations, including a few meetings at Johnson County-area restaurants. As for advertising, she’s spent $7,331.13, her filing shows.
James, who is also an educator from Whiteland, has raised $6,495 since starting with $1,033.35 in the bank. She’s received 59 individual contributions — including $50 from former Greenwood Mayor Margaret McGovern and $100 from Center Grove School Board candidate Nicole Kemp, according to her filing.
James has spent $6,663.15, mostly on advertising with the rest going toward operations.
House District 60
Republican incumbent Peggy Mayfield also has a fundraising edge in her race against Democrat Michelle Higgs for this district representing areas of Johnson, Morgan and Monroe counties.
Mayfield, who owns a Martinsville insurance business, started with $122,875 in the bank and reported $47,562 in contributions. She’s received 55 individual contributions totaling $9,970 — including $600 from the wife of Rep. Craig Haggard, R-Mooresville, according to her filing.
More than three dozen PACS have given Mayfield $30,300, including Hoosiers for Great Public Schools, Indiana Friends of Rural Electrification, American Property Casualty Insurance Association, Indiana Manufacturers, AES Indiana and Trucking Industry. She also received $3,000 from Delta Dental of Indiana, $1,500 from Anheuser-Busch, $1,000 from Oliver Wine, $1,000 from the committee to elect Jim Baird to Congress, her filing shows.
As for expenses, Mayfield reported spending $14,515 — $11,050 in advertising and $595.85 for operations. The rest went toward fundraising and a campaign contribution, her filing shows.
Higgs, a Bloomington small business owner, has neither raised nor spent money during the filing period. Her cash balance remains at about $3,055, though she owes $262 in campaign debt, according to her filing.
BY THE NUMBERS
Here is a look at how much was raised and spent in some of the races from mid-April through mid-October, based on October campaign finance reports:
Senate District 32
- Aaron Freeman (R): Raised $347,266.47; spent $352,098.04
- Katrina Owens (D): Raised $19,030.71; spent $9,094.10
Senate District 36
- Cynthia “Cyndi” Carrasco (R): Raised $222,617.06; spent $201,859.08
- Suzanne Fortenberry (D): Raised $5,235.10; spent $4,139.83
Senate District 37
- Rodric D. Bray (R): Raised $358,526.47; spent $208,355.92
- Kimberly M. Schofield (D): Raised $0; spent $0
House District 47
- Robb Greene (R): Raised $54,301.40; spent $21,777.98
- Michael E. Potter (D): Raised $2,730.47; spent $2,765.10
House District 57
- Craig Haggard (R): Raised $66,650; spent $30,632.33
House District 58
- Michelle Davis (R): Raised $24,550; spent $25,125.03
- Sandy James (D): Raised $6,495; spent $6,663.15
House District 60
- Michelle Higgs (D): Raised $0; spent $0
- Peggy Mayfield (R): Raised $47,562.30; spent $14,515
