Republicans raise more money than 2 incumbents in Mecklenburg County commissioners race
Two incumbents on the Mecklenburg County Commission were out-fundraised from July through mid-October.
Candidates’ final campaign finance reports before Election Day were due Tuesday, shedding a light on their fundraising and spending in the final months of the election cycle from July 1 through Oct. 19. Democrats have held every seat on the commission since 2018, but two Republican challengers posted hefty halls in the quarter.
Campaign fundraising isn’t a guarantee about how the public will vote, but it can provide insight into who is supporting campaigns.
Democratic District 5 Commissioner Laura Meier, whose district includes parts of central and south Mecklenburg, reported $12,243 raised this quarter, including donations from state Rep. Bobby Drakeford, Starmount Healthcare president Michael Estramonte and Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County. She reported $32,225.34 in expenditures in the quarter, leaving her with $5,522.49 cash on hand.
Her Republican challenger, Arthur McCulloch, reported $30,942.12 raised in the same period, including donations from state House Speaker Tim Moore, Charlotte City Councilman Ed Driggs, Charlotte Mecklenburg Republican Women and the Mecklenburg County Republican Committee. He reported $25,944.35 in expenditures in the quarter, leaving him with $7,707.76 cash on hand.
McCulloch also has raised more money over the entire election cycle, which dates back to Jan. 1, 2023.
The numbers were similar in south and east Mecklenburg’s District 6, where incumbent Democrat Susan Rodriguez-McDowell raised $16,516.56 and spent $17,758.10, leaving her with $2,645.55 cash on hand.
Her Republican opponent in District 6, Jim Marascio, reported $25,043.20 raised this quarter, including donations from developer Ned Curran, Charlotte Mecklenburg Republican Women, the Mecklenburg County Republican Executive Committee and the Mint Hill-Matthews Republican Club.
Marascio spent $6,292.42 in the quarter, leaving him with $38,435.83 cash on hand. Marascio also has an outstanding $10,000 loan from himself to his campaign.
Marascio also has raised more money than Rodriguez-McDowell during the entire election cycle.
Things were quieter in the county commission’s two other contested district races.
Democratic District 2 representative Vilma Leake reported no money raised or spent from July through mid-October and $304.20 in cash on hand. Her Republican challenger, Angela White Edwards, told the Observer she did not raise enough money to meet the threshold to file a campaign finance report.
Democratic District 1 representative Elaine Powell reported $400 raised this quarter, a donation from the Democratic Women of Mecklenburg County, and $764.60 in expenditures. That left her with $2,427.52 cash on hand. No report was posted in the state or county databases as of Friday morning from her Republican challenger, Aaron Marin, who told the Observer his report was submitted.
