This Democrat leads all Charlotte congressional candidates in fundraising
One candidate has far outraised the other three seeking Mecklenburg County’s two seats in Congress, according to campaign finance data.
Mecklenburg is divided into two Congressional districts: the 12th, which includes most of western and northern Mecklenburg County; and the 14th, which includes uptown, southern and western Mecklenburg and much of Gaston County.
In the 12th, Rep. Alma Adams, the incumbent, faces Tyler Lee, a Republican first-time candidate who says he works in real estate. State Sen. Jeff Jackson, a Democrat, is running against Republican Pat Harrigan for the 14th. Harrigan is making his first bid for public office and operates a firearms manufacturing company.
Jackson has far outraised other local candidates, according to the campaign’s latest filing with the Federal Election Commission. Harrigan has raised less money and spent a smaller percentage of what he’s raised.
Jackson’s figures, though, include money he raised and spent running in the primary for U.S. Senate. He dropped out of that race in January and endorsed Democrat Cheri Beasley.
The 14th is considered more competitive than the 12th. Democrats are expected to win both districts.
Fundraising in the 14th
Figures represent money raised and spent in the current election cycle, which began January 2021. The latest Federal Election Commission report includes donations and expenditures through Sept. 30.
Jeff Jackson
▪ Jackson has raised the most of any candidate in Mecklenburg’s two districts— $5.28 million.
▪ He’s spent $3.36 million on operating expenditures — about 64% of the amount he’s raised.
▪ Going into the last month and a half of the election cycle, Jackson had $1.68 million cash on hand. That’s more than any other local candidate has raised.
▪ “Winning campaigns need energy and resources. We have both,” Jackson said in an emailed statement to the Observer. “We were able to outraise our opponent while having a median donation of $25. It’s genuine grassroots support and it’s powering our campaign.”
Pat Harrigan
▪ In his first bid for elected office, Harrigan raised $648,344. That includes a $50,000 loan Harrigan made to his campaign.
▪ He spent $348,000 through the end of September — about 54% of the total he raised.
▪ Harrigan went into the last leg of the race with $288,000 cash on hand.
▪ “Pat Harrigan got into this race knowing he would be outspent by Jeff Jackson’s special-interest backers. But we are confident Pat has the resources necessary to win,” Jordan Shaw, Harrigan’s advisor, said in an emailed statement to the Observer. “Jackson needs to spend more than Harrigan does to make up for all the money his inflation-causing policies have taken out of taxpayer pockets.”
Fundraising in the 12th
Alma Adams
▪ Adams is running for her fifth term in Congress, and is considered likely to win in the heavily Democratic district. This election cycle, she’s raised $847,520.
▪ Her campaign has spent about $333,000 in operating expenditures, or about 39% of what she’s raised.
▪ Adams went into the final month and a half of the election with about $577,000 cash on hand.
▪ “People have been very receptive to supporting,” Adams said. “My time has been more limited than it normally would be ... I’m a candidate, but I’m also a member (of Congress).” Adams said she thinks more voters are engaged with politics than they have been in some of her previous races, in part because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning the landmark abortion case Roe vs. Wade.
Tyler Lee
▪ Lee, in his first Congressional bid, has raised $183,184.
▪ He spent a higher percentage of his money than any of the other candidates. Through September, he spent more than $174,000 — about 95% of the money he raised.
▪ Lee entered the last leg of the election cycle with about $3,160 cash on hand.
This story was originally published October 26, 2022 at 1:28 PM.
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