2 Charlotte-area NC legislature candidates top $1M raised in report before Election Day
The price tags for two of the Charlotte area’s most closely watched state legislative races have surpassed the million dollar mark.
Democratic candidates Nicole Sidman and Beth Helfrich, whose races could determine the balance of power in Raleigh, each reported raising more than $1 million in the final quarter of fundraising before Election Day. Sidman is running against state Rep. Tricia Cotham in south Mecklenburg’s District 105. And Helfrich is running against former Huntersville Mayor Melinda Bales in north Mecklenburg’s District 98, a district often decided by slim margins.
Campaign fundraising doesn’t show who will win an election, but it can provide insight into who’s backing particular candidates or which operation has more resources.
The following are campaign finance reports for legislative candidates across the Charlotte region. State Board of Elections spokesman Patrick Gannon told the Observer Thursday additional reports were still being uploaded to the system, and some were still missing on Monday.
House District 105
Sidman raised $1.138 million from July 1 through mid-October, according to her latest campaign finance report.
No report was listed for Cotham in the state or county database as of Monday morning. Cotham and a campaign staffer did not respond to multiple Observer questions about whether the campaign had submitted a third quarter report.
It’s Cotham’s first reelection bid since she switched parties from Democrat to Republican, giving the GOP a veto-proof supermajority and drawing both national media attention and criticism from her former party.
Individual donors to Sidman’s campaign during the period included businessman Hugh McColl, County Commissioner Leigh Altman, former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board member Jennifer De La Jara and Mike Schur, the TV writer known for his work on The Office, Parks & Recreation and The Good Place.
Groups that donated to Sidman’s campaign include Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County, the North Carolina Democratic Party, the North Carolina House Democratic Caucus, Emily’s List, Everytown for Gun Safety and Planned Parenthood Votes.
Sidman spent $1.092 million this quarter, including on advertising, fundraising and contributions to the North Carolina Democratic Party. She was left with $277,773 to spend over the final two weeks of the campaign. The third quarter reporting period covers July 1 through Oct. 19.
Sidman’s numbers are “well above normal spending for a state legislative race” and create opportunities for expenses such as TV advertising, said Eric Heberlig, a political science professor at UNC Charlotte.
“The amount of attention and money that’s being spent on this is extraordinary,” he said.
NC House District 98
In another one of the most competitive legislative races, Helfrich more than doubled her Republican opponent’s earnings in House District 98, which covers northern Mecklenburg County. The seat has been held by Republican John Bradford III since 2020.
Bradford won by just over 2,000 votes in 2020 and less than 1,000 votes in 2022.
Helfrich raised $1.1 million from July 1 through mid-October. Donations from individuals include Durham County Commissioner Nida Allam, Huntersville Commissioner Alisia Bergsman, State Rep. Zack Hawkins from Durham and Mecklenburg County Commissioner Laura Meier and “The Office” television writer Michael Schur. Helfrich recieved numerous donations from individuals across the country.
Group donations include the Democratic Women of NC, Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund, Planned Parenthood PAC, Employees PAC and North Carolina Sierra Club.
Helfrich’s campaign spent $1.05 million, including on events, consulting and TV ads. She had $213,478 to spend over the last two weeks of the campaign.
Republican Melinda Bales brought in $522,957.13 for the third quarter. Donors included Committee to Elect Republican Women PAC, Charlotte Council Member Ed Driggs, Mecklenburg County Republican Executive Committee, NC Republican Committee and NC House Republican Campaign Committee.
Bales’ campaign spent $574,608.18 this quarter, including on volunteer coordination, ads, fundraiser consulting and campaign materials. She ended with $16,112 still to spend.
NC Senate District 42
In a closely watched south Mecklenburg General Assembly race, Senate District 42, Republican Stacie McGinn reported $376,529 raised this quarter, including a $95,000 loan from herself. Other donors included the Bank of America State and Federal PAC, Committee to Elect Republican Women, Mecklenburg County Republican Executive Committee and Mint Hill-Matthews Republican Club.
She reported $440,738 in expenditures this quarter — including on robo calls, campaign text messages, yard signs and consultants — and $14,608.63 in cash for the final two weeks. Her campaign has a total of $335,000 in outstanding loans to herself.
Her Democratic opponent, Woodson Bradley, brought in $551,875.30 during the same time period. Her donors included Charlotte-area state representatives Mark Belk and Becky Carney, former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools chair Elyse Dashew, Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County, the NC Senate Democratic Caucus, Emily’s List, NC Sierra Club PAC and Planned Parenthood South Atlantic.
The Bradley campaign spent $676,557.72 in the period — including on digital advertising, yards signs, fundraising, travel and campaign staff — leaving it with $46,816.37 for the final two weeks of the election.
NC Senate District 37
The Democrat challenging incumbent Republican state Sen. Vickie Sawyer in Senate District 37, which includes parts of north Mecklenburg and Iredell County, also brought in a sizable fundraising haul.
Kate Compton Barr reported raising $67,437.89 this quarter. Barr, whose campaign message that she “can’t win” due to gerrymandering has drawn national attention, reported donations from outside her district and the state.
Barr reported $57,433.68 in expenditures this quarter — including on digital advertising, in-person campaign events and campaign text messages — and $18,492.56 in cash left for the final two weeks. She also reported $3,395.87 in contributions to be refunded.
But Sawyer outpaced Barr in fundraising, reporting $122,556.85 brought in during the quarter. Donors included Mooresville Mayor Chris Carney, the Committee to Elect Republican Women, Allstate Insurance Company PAC, Duke Energy PAC, North Carolina Chamber PAC and the North Carolina Senate Majority Fund.
Sawyer’s campaign spent $69,495.16 in the quarter — including contributions to Republican groups, in-person event supplies and advertising — leaving her with $138,565.42 for the final two weeks.
NC House District 104
Republican challenger Krista Bokhari raised $100,854.62 in the quarter in her south-central Charlotte race, her campaign reported. Bokhari, the wife of Charlotte City Councilman Tariq Bokhari, received donations from Starmount Healthcare president Michael Estramonte, the Committee to Elect Republican Women and Mecklenburg County Republican Executive Committee, as well as in-kind contributions from the North Carolina Republican Party.
Her campaign spent $41,476.45, leaving it with $69,794.77 to spend over the final two weeks.
No report was listed for her Democratic opponent, incumbent state Rep. Brandon Lofton, as of Monday morning. Lofton told the Observer his campaign had submitted its third quarter report but did not respond to a request for a copy of the report.
NC House District 73
In House District 73, which covers Concord and parts of northeastern Cabarrus County, Democratic Rep. Diamond Staton-Williams brought in $323,336.07 during the latest reporting period. She received donations from political groups and PACs including the Communications Workers of America’s Political Contributions Committee, Democratic Women of Catawba County, NC Nurses PAC, Duke Energy PAC, Planned Parenthood Votes NC and EMILY’s List.
She reported spending $384,468.66 in the quarter — including on consultants, digital and print advertising, and contributions to the North Carolina Democratic Party — leaving the campaign with $47,836.81 to spend in the final two weeks.
No report was listed for her Republican opponent, Jonathan Almond. Almond did not respond to an Observer request for a copy of his report.
