Report: Which candidates ran the priciest campaigns in Greater Lansing?

Campaign finance reports shed light on candidate fundraising, spending and debts

(This story was updated at 9:15 a.m.)

MONDAY, Oct 26 — At least $500,000 of $600,000 in campaign funds raised by dozens of candidates in Ingham and Eaton counties has already been spent on Nov. 3’s General Election.

And while only next month’s results will show which of the candidates got the biggest bang for their buck, early reporting shows which of them have been bankrolling the largest campaigns.

Political candidates who raised or spent more than $1,000 were required by 5 p.m. on Friday to file pre-election campaign finance reports with their local clerk’s office and the State Bureau of Elections. City Pulse reviewed the amounts they raised and spent over the course of the election cycle to compile a ranking of campaigns with the deepest pockets and most spending.

Here are a few highlights:

Of the 135 candidates competing in a total of 52 contested races across Ingham and Eaton counties, most of them — 103 candidates — have filed for waivers that indicated they intended to raise or spend less than $1,000 during this election. Only 48 planned to raise or spend more.

Of those 48, at least 44 candidates submitted reports that detailed their campaign’s finances by Monday morning. Four candidates still didn’t have reports available online earlier this morning. 

Those 44 candidates raised at least $1.4 million over the course of this election cycle, including at least $600,000 raised since August. Together, they spent more than $500,000 and piled on about $300,000 in cumulative debt. The candidates also have more than $200,000 left to spend.

Largest Fundraisers

• Democratic Ingham Co. Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth — $98,261
• Democratic Eaton Co. Sheriff Tom Reich — $94,693
• Republican Eaton Co. Drain Commissioner Richard Wagner — $63,241
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Carol Koenig — $48,689
• 56A District Court Judge Candidate Ben Cwayna — $41,720
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Steve Kwasnik — $39,777
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Morgan Cole — $38,760
• Democratic Eaton Co. Treasurer Candidate Bob Robinson — $37,980
• Democratic Ingham Co. Clerk Barb Byrum — $33,918
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Brandon Waddell — $24,887
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Colline Cheltenham — $22,100
• Democratic Ingham Co. Drain Commissioner Pat Lindemann — $16,255
• Republican Ingham Co. Commissioner Randy Maiville — $11,259
• Republican Eaton Co. Sheriff Candidate Rick Jones — $7,290

Largest Spenders

• Democratic Eaton Co. Sheriff Tom Reich — $70,550
• Democratic Ingham Co. Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth — $58,858
• Republican Eaton Co. Sheriff Candidate Rick Jones — $43,308
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Carol Koenig — $43,040
• Republican Eaton Co. Drain Commissioner Richard Wagner — $41,665
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Morgan Cole — $35,224
• Democratic Eaton Co. Treasurer Candidate Bob Robinson — $34,724
• Democratic Ingham Co. Clerk Barb Byrum — $33,388
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Steve Kwasnik — $27,623
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Colline Cheltenham — $24,480
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Brandon Waddell — $21,649
• 56A District Court Judge Candidate Ben Cwayna — $19,308
• Democratic Ingham Co. Drain Commissioner Pat Lindemann — $17,707
• Democratic Ingham Co. Prosecuting Attorney Carol Siemon — $11,810

Largest Debt

• Republican Eaton Co. Sheriff Candidate Rick Jones — $132,000
• Democratic Ingham Co. Prosecuting Attorney Carol Siemon — $50,597
• 56A District Court Judge Candidate Ben Cwayna — $31,000
• Democratic Eaton Co. Treasurer Candidate Bob Robinson — $20,878
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Brandon Waddell — $17,600
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Steve Kwasnik — $15,000
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Morgan Cole — $14,744
• Democratic Ingham Co. Clerk Barb Byrum — $11,372
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Colline Cheltenham — $11,201
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Carol Koenig — $10,000
• Democratic Eaton Co. Sheriff Tom Reich — $8,037
• Nonpartisan Grand Ledge City Councilman Rick Lantz — $5,087
• Republican Vevay Township Trustee Candidate Patricia McNeilly — $2,350
• Democratic Ingham County Commissioner Mark Polsdofer — $2,295

Largest Cash on Hand

• Democratic Ingham Co. Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth — $49,121
• Republican Eaton Co. Sheriff Candidate Rick Jones — $34,789
• Democratic Eaton Co. Sheriff Tom Reich — $26,154
• 56A District Court Judge Candidate Ben Cwayna — $22,412
• Republican Eaton Co. Drain Commissioner Richard Wagner — $22,244
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Steve Kwasnik — $12,154
• Democratic Ingham Co. Commissioner Victor Celentino — $8,603
• Democratic Ingham Co. Clerk Barb Byrum — $7,768
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Carol Koenig — $5,650
• Democratic Ingham Co. Commissioner Todd Tennis — $4,097
• 30th Circuit Court Judge Candidate Morgan Cole — $3,536
• Democratic Ingham Co. Commissioner Derrell Slaughter — $3,488
• Democratic Ingham Co. Prosecuting Attorney Carol Siemon — $3,392
• Democratic Eaton Co. Treasurer Candidate Bob Robinson — $3,382

The following candidates did not have a reporting waiver on file — signaling an intention to raise or spend more than $1,000 this election cycle — and still did not have campaign reports available on Monday: Bob Pena; TyJuan Thirdgill; Andrew Abood and Robert Piercefield.

Check back online and grab next week’s print edition for continued campaign finance coverage.