Republican Mack “Dutch” Guest IV raised $143,551 in the 18 days from his qualification for the Dec. 9 House District 121 Special Election on Nov. 7 to the Nov. 24 filing date with the Georgia Ethics Commission, or almost $8,000 per day.
At that point–15 days before the election on Tuesday–Guest had spent only $1,260, so he had a net balance on hand for those 15 days of $142,290.
Democrat Eric Gisler, who had declared he intended to challenge Republican Marcus Wiedower before Wiedower resigned unexpectedly on Oct. 28, raised $38,692 from July 1 to Nov. 24.
Gisler spent $13,094 and had $25,598 cash on hand going into the final 15 days of the campaign.
Guest, who has never run for office before or been involved in Republican Party activities, listed 22 contributions at the maximum allowed of $3,300, and 45 at $1,500 or greater.
Most of the $3,300 contributions were from individuals, but Gov. Brian Kemp’s Georgia First Leadership Committee contributed that amount, as did Arch Partners Insurance of Watkinsville, Welbrook Logistics of Watkinsville, B-H Transfer Company of Sandesville, and Southeast Utility Transfer of Stockbridge.
Guest is vice president of Lad Truck Lines Inc. of Watkinsville, a firm founded by his father Mack Guest III, who also contributed $3,300 to his son’s campaign. Mack Guest III is the registered agent for Welbrook Logistics, which contributed $3,300.
Gisler said technical problems with the Georgia Campaign Finance System have kept him from filing his report and that he has been working with personnel at the Georgia Ethics Commission to solve the problem.
Guest filed his report on Dec. 2.
Gisler On Filings
Gisler told me in an email message on Dec. 3 “I'm sure you have noticed that I have not yet filed my 11/24 report with the Ethics Commission.”
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| Screen Shot From Gisler Web Site Opening Page Note Donate Button |
“I have been having technical issues with their system that they are working to resolve and I hope to have that completed in the next few days,” he continued.
In an email exchange on Dec. 7, Gisler sent me a screen shot of his partial returns and said that the final contributions, when he has finished manually entering them, will total $38,692.77, and his expenses will be $13,094, leaving him with $25,598 cash balance on had on Nov. 24.
He said he had spent about $5,000 for a fundraising consultant, $2,500 for a consultant in Atlanta for a mailer, about $2,800 on campaign materials “and handful of other small expenses.”
“The canvassing effort is being coordinated by volunteers on the campaign,” he wrote in an email on Dec. 3.
Guest Filing Details
Republican Houston Gaines, who represents the 120th House District in the General Assembly, told the Oconee County Republican Party on Dec. 1 that he had contributed to Guest’s campaign, but that does not show on the filing for Nov. 24.
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| Screen Shot From Guesst Web Site Opening Page With Donate Button |
Wiedower, whose campaign account contained $432,889 on Feb. 8, also had not made a contribution listed by Guest. Wiedower's required June 30 report is not showing on the Ethics Commission web site.
Wiedower will be limited to the $3,300 contribution.
Donald Leebern of McDunough appears on Guest's list giving $3,300 twice on Nov. 13.
Oconee County Republican Party Chair Kathy Hurley contributed $200 to Guest’s campaign, Watkinsville Mayor Brian Brodrick gave $1,500, and Mark Thomas Enterprises gave $1,500.
Oconee County Commissioner Mark Thomas is chairperson of Guest’s campaign.
Guest has hired War Room Strategies to help with his campaign, including with canvassing, but that expense did not appear on this Nov. 24 report.
The next election filing deadline should be on Dec. 31.
Voting on Tuesday will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the polling places for the three precincts that are in the 121st House District: South, Central, and Dark Corner.
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