Last reports before Charlotte’s 2026 primary show who’s raising the most money
Challengers in some of the Charlotte area’s most interesting primaries posted noticeable fundraising hauls in the final stretch of their campaigns.
Campaign finance reports covering the first seven weeks of 2026 show what candidates raised ahead of the March 3 primary and how they spent their money. These first-quarter reports provide an inside look into how campaigns are faring with donors and budgeting their resources.
Reports were not publicly available for all candidates, which can happen due to campaigns missing the deadline to file them or delays by the county and state boards of elections in uploading reports to their online portals. Only partial reports were available for some candidates due to delays in the State Board of Elections portal.
In Charlotte’s most closely watched races for the state legislature, challengers trying to defeat incumbents Carla Cunningham and Nasif Majeed built up significant campaign war chests.
In the Democratic primary for Mecklenburg County sheriff, two of the candidates trying to oust incumbent Garry McFadden also raised and spent tens of thousands of dollars.
And a challenger in a Mecklenburg County commission race outraised an incumbent while getting donations from current and former elected officials.
While a fundraising lead doesn’t guarantee victory, it can be an indicator of strength and momentum for campaigns.
Cunningham and Majeed challengers, Cotham post hauls in NC House primaries
Rodney Sadler, running against Cunningham in north Charlotte’s District 106, reported raising more than $130,000 in 2026. He’s one of two candidates challenging the seven-term House member after she sided with the GOP on a veto override and made controversial comments about immigrants.
Sadler’s first-quarter report said he raised $131,651.97 in the period. His donors included people who live in other parts of North Carolina and other states. They also included political groups, including Climate Cabinet PAC, Carolina Federation PAC, the Sierra Club and Way to Lead North Carolina. Mecklenburg County Commissioner Laura Meier also made an in-kind donation of event supplies to Sadler.
His campaign reported spending $170,331.63 in the reporting period, leaving it with $51,386.82 left to spend in the final days of the campaign.
Cunningham’s first-quarter report was not available through the state or county boards of elections portals as of Monday afternoon. She did not respond to a request from an Observer reporter for the report.
The third candidate running in the District 106 primary, Vermanno Bowman, reported raising $301 in the first quarter, including a donation from himself. His campaign spent $1,160.88 in the reporting period and is $566.30 in debt, according to its first quarter report. The campaign also reported an additional $545.61 debt for bank fees.
Elsewhere in north Charlotte, one of District 99 Rep. Nasif Majeed’s Democratic primary opponents posted a hefty fundraising haul for a General Assembly race. Majeed also faces backlash for siding with Republicans on a veto override.
District 99 challenger Veleria Levy reported raising $23,918.99 in the period. Her campaign spent $8,553.71, according to its first-quarter report, leaving it with $17,229.65 left over. Like Sadler, she reported donations from outside of her district and the state, as well as the Sierra Club.
Majeed raised $15,600 in the first quarter and spent $13,155.08 in the same period, according to the campaign’s finance report. That left the campaign with $5,452.56 for the final days of the election. Majeed received donations from multiple PACs, including the Duke Energy Corporation PAC, Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina PAC, North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives PAC, North Carolina Homebuilders Association PAC and the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association PAC.
No first-quarter report was listed online for the third candidate in the District 99 race, Tucker Neal, as of Monday afternoon. But Neal previously told Observer news partner WSOC-TV he was throwing his support behind Levy.
On the Republican side, incumbent state Rep. Tricia Cotham appears to lead her challenger in southeast Mecklenburg’s House District 105.
She raised $16,900 in the first quarter of 2026, according to her campaign finance report. Her campaign spent $5,268.37 in the period and ended it with $123,907.70 for the final stretch of primary season. Cotham reported donations from multiple PACs, including the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives PAC, North Carolina Chiropractic Association PAC and the Providence Anesthesiology Association PAC. She also got a donation from the founder of a charter school group.
No first-quarter report was listed online for Cotham’s challenger, teacher and newly minted Republican Kelly VanHorn, as of Monday afternoon. VanHorn told the Observer her campaign has taken no PAC money and has less than $500.
McFadden challengers raise and spend big in sheriff’s race
McFadden also faces a crowded primary after recent upheaval in his department, clashes with state and federal leaders and a petition to remove him from office.
One of his challengers, Ricky Robbins, reported raising $35,880 in the first quarter. He reported donations from Carolina Panthers players Chuba Hubbard and Bryce Young as well as the Committee to Elect Carolyn Logan. Robbins also made a sizable donation to his own campaign, according to the report.
Robbins’ campaign reported spending $41,452.44 in the first quarter, leaving it with $26,812.50 left over.
Challenger Rodney Collins reported raising $12,957.56 in the first quarter of 2026 fundraising. His campaign spent $18,170.84, leaving it with $3,138.31 to spend in the final days of the campaign.
The third challenger in the sheriff primary, Antwain Nance, reported raising $410 in the first quarter, including a $150 donation from himself. His campaign had $180.06 left over after spending.
McFadden’s first-quarter report was not available through the state or county boards of elections portals as of Monday afternoon, and his campaign did not respond to a request from an Observer reporter for the report.
Who’s leading in fundraising in competitive Mecklenburg County Commission races?
Donations from notable names in Charlotte-area politics helped longtime political strategist Monifa Drayton outraise incumbent Vilma Leake in a Democratic primary for County Commission District 2.
Drayton reported raising $16,929.33 in the first quarter of 2026. Her campaign spent $20,521.42 in the period, leaving with $3,755.91 for the final days of the primary campaign. She reported donations from former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board member Charlitta Hatch, former state legislator Diamond Staton-Williams and former deputy county manager Anthony Trotman.
Leake raised $9,062.31 in the first quarter, according to her report. She reported a donation from CMS board member Shamaiye Haynes. Leake’s campaign spent $6,698.69, leaving it with $6,280.59 left over.
Morris “Mac” McAdoo led the way in fundraising in the three-person Democratic primary to succeed the retiring Elaine Powell in north Mecklenburg’s District 1. McAdoo reported raising $7,115.23 in the first quarter and spending $5,123.86, leaving his campaign with $1,991.37 on hand for the final days of the campaign.
Jessica Finkel was next in the District 1 race, raising $5,196.36 in the first quarter. That includes a $326.88 loan from herself. Her campaign spent $3,018.25, leaving it with $3,419.66 left over at the end of the first quarter.
Adam Pasiak rounded out the trio, raising $3,265 and spending $4,179.47 in the first quarter. That left his campaign with $219.28 for the end of primary season. Pasiak’s report shows he’s loaned his campaign $3,000.
In the third contested primary for a county commission district seat, in District 3, incumbent George Dunlap led his challenger in fundraising.
Dunlap reported raising $3,400 raised in the first quarter. His campaign spent $7,840.45 in the reporting period, leaving it with $86,536.51 to spend in the final days of the primary. Dunlap’s campaign also donated to the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg and a Winston-Salem county commission candidate.
Dunlap’s challenger, Phil Carey, reported raising $400 and spending nothing in the first quarter, leaving the campaign with $1,000 left over.
This story was originally published February 28, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
