To say that the Democratic challengers to Oconee County’s three incumbent Republican state legislators are entering the fall campaign at a financial disadvantage is a gross understatement.
House District 120 Rep. Houston Gaines had $657,766 Net Balance Cash On Hand at the beginning of this month.
His Democratic challenger, Andrew Ferguson, had $4,538.
House District 121 Rep. Marcus Wiedower had $404,258 Cash On Hand on June 30.
Democrat Eric Gisler had $420.
Sen. Bill Cowsert, representing Oconee County in District 46, had $288,846 available.
Democratic challenger Gareth Fenley had $2,828.
In the two months of May and June, covered in the most recent campaign finance filings, the three Republicans raised $65,675, with Widower raising more than Gaines and Cowsert combined.
The three Democrats raised only $4,737 among them.
Independent District Attorney candidate Kalki Yalamanchili raised $13,895 in May and June, compared with incumbent Democrat Deborah Gonzalez’ $2,922, and Yalamanchili had $145,517 cash on hand on June 30, compared with $42,584 for Gonzalez.
On the county level, incumbent Republican Sheriff James Hale raised $1,800 in May and June and had $49,036 cash on hand, while Democratic challenger Reginald Wade raised $4,050 and had a Net Balance On Hand of $3,466.
June 30 Report
Oconee County incumbent Post 1 Commissioner Mark Thomas, a Republican, is being challenged in November by Suzannah Heimel, running as a Democrat but without party support.
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Both signed affidavits, Thomas in March and Heimel in April, that they did not intend to accept or spend more than $2,500 in the campaign, and thus were exempt from filing Campaign Finance Reports for May and June with the state Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.
Sheri Ward Long, running as a Democrat but without Democratic Party support for Post 4 on the Board of Education, Katie Green, running as a Democrat with party support for Post 5 on the School Board, and Brock Toole, the Republican nominee for Post 5 on the School Board, all also signed the affidavit and didn’t file a June 30 report.
Republican candidate Adam Hammond for Post 4 on the Board of Education did file a June 30 report, showing $154 in contributions in May and June and $1,587 cash on hand.
Laura King, running as a Democrat without party support for Clerk of Superior Court, filed the affidavit saying she would not accept or spend more than $2,500 and did not file a June 30 report.
Incumbent Superior Court Clerk Angela Elder-Johnson, a Republican, did file a June 30 report, showing $13,525 in contributions and $26,450 cash on hand.
Epps, Holloway, DeLoach and Hoipkemier law firm was the largest donor at $3,300, and attorney Kevin Epps from that firm is treasurer of the Committee to Reelect Angela Elder-Johnson.
Republican Donors To Legislators
Wiedower reporting raising $36,600 in May and June, or an average of $600 per day.
His largest contributors were FanDuel Inc. of New York, at the maximum allowed $3,300, Robert Stiegele of Fort Lauderdale, Fla, at that same amount, and Sports Betting Alliance of Lubbock, Tex., at $3,000.
Wiedower has taken the lead on gaming legislation in the House, and FanDuel is an online sports betting company. He also received an additional $300 from Sports Betting Alliance for the primary.
Stiegele lists his occupation as real estate. He is president of TDON Development Inc., which does land acquisition and development and home building. He also gave $1,700 to Wiedower for the general election; the $3,300 was for the primary.
Gaines reported raising $22,825 in May and June.
His largest contributors were Mike Hylton of Athens, giving the maximum $3,300 for the primary and that same amount for the general election.
Cowsert reported raising $6,250 in May and June, with his largest contribution being $1,500 from the Natural Gas Association of Georgia Political Action Committee.
Wiedower had primary opposition in May, while Gaines and Cowsert did not.
Bogart and Marswood Hall precincts in Oconee County fall into House District120, while the remaining six precincts are in House District 121. All of Oconee County is in Senate District 46.
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