Earlier today, a Raleigh voter named David Bland filed a complaint with the Wake County Board of Elections alleging that liberal activists Dean and Sesha Debnam and Ann and John Campbell have “violated state laws barring excessive contributions and contributions in the name of another.” The claim is based on the fact that Ann Campbell and Dean Debnam each have PACs supporting (mostly) the same candidates, and the Campbells and Debnams have supported each other’s PAC in addition to these candidates and their own PAC.

I’d be surprised if this complaint has legs. Still, there’s no denying Debnam and Campbell aim to be big players in the upcoming elections for Wake County Board of Commissioners. Angered by some commissioners’ votes on last year’s budget—which gave the school board less than half of the new funding it requested—and the decision to purchase a defunct golf course to turn into a park in Fuquay-Varina, they and their PACs have generously backed a slate of Democratic primary challengers who are running on a platform of better schools funding, particularly former county commissioner Lindy Brown, former school board member Susan Evans, and longtime schools advocate Vickie Adamson. It’s no coincidence, after all, that Jessica Holmes and Greg Ford, the two commissioners who voted against that budget because they believed it didn’t adequately fund schools, are the only two without primary challengers, and James West, a commissioner who joined those Holmes and Ford in voting against the Crooked Creek park acquisition, has what looks like little more than token opposition.

Looking through campaign-finance data, a slew of which was released this week, a very clear pattern emerges: on the one side, the incumbents—Sig Hutchinson, Matt Calabria, Erv Portman, James West, John Burns—and their array of somewhat diverse but sometimes overlapping big supporters; on the other, you have Brown, Evans, Adamson, and, to a far lesser degree, Jeremiah Pierce, who are backed by the same cadre of people and the same PACs.

Here, I break down the campaign-finance reports to give you the skinny on how and from whom candidates are raising money, as well as what Debnam’s and Campbell’s PACs are up to. The election is Tuesday. You can read the INDY’s endorsements in these races here.

District 1

SIG HUTCHINSON (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: $112,906
Money spent (as of April 21): $53,576
Number of donors (first quarter): 190
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Erv Portman (Wake County commissioner), $2,000
  • Smedes York (chairman, York Properties, former Raleigh mayor), $2,250
  • HDR Inc. PAC, $1,000
  • Kel Landis (Plexus Capital), $1,000
  • Jim Anthony (CEO Raleigh, Colliers International), $1,000
  • Sanford Bailey (developer), $1,000
  • Tom Bradshaw Jr. (president and CEO, Tom Bradshaw and Associates), $1,000
  • Jerry Bynum (N/A), $5,200
  • Stephanie Bynum (N/A), $5,200
  • Michael Conlon (owner, Affordable Communities Group), $1,000
  • Frank Daniels Jr. (retired publisher), $1,000
  • Van Eure (owner, Angus Barn), $1,000
  • Brenda Gibson (real estate agent), $1,000
  • James Goodmon (president, Capitol Broadcasting), $5,200
  • Ann Goodnight (director of community relations, SAS), $1,000
  • Gordon Grubb (president, Grubb Ventures), $1,000
  • R. David Henderson (exec. dir., N.C. Medical Board), $1,000
  • David Johnston (exec. vice president, PPD), $1,000
  • John Kane (developer), $2,500
  • Thomas Looney (executive, Lenovo), $1,000
  • Andy Martin (self-employed), $1,000
  • Ron McFarlane (retired pharmacist, husband of Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane), $2,000
  • Charles Meeker (attorney, Parker Poe; former Raleigh mayor; brother of INDY owner Richard Meeker), $1,000
  • Carlton Midyette (real estate agent, Creedmore Partners), $2,500
  • John Muter (contractor), $1,000
  • Mary Margaret O’Connell (consultant/attorney, Fuquay Solutions), $1,000
  • Roger Perry (real estate agent), $1,000
  • Chad Price (president, Mako Medical Laboratories), $5,200
  • John Replogle (CEO, Seventh Generation), $1,000)
  • Larry Robbins (attorney, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton), $1,000
  • Perry Safran (attorney, Safran Law Offices), $1,500
  • Greg Sandruter (investor, Beacon Partners), $1,000
  • Willy Stewart (CEO, Stewart Inc.), $1,250
  • J Blount Williams (CEO Alfred Williams & Company), $1,000


JEREMIAH PIERCE
Money raised: $11,393
Money spent (as of April 21): $3,250
Number of donors (first quarter): 16
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Dean Debnam (owner, Workplace Options, head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $2,600
  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir., NEA), $3,100
  • Tyler Morris (real estate agent, Capitol Commercial), $1,000
  • Johnny Glover (retired), $1,350


Notes: The winner of this primary will face Republican Greg Jones and Libertarian Tim Jowers in the fall.

District 2

MATT CALABRIA (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: $72,960
Money spent (as of April 21): $26,588
Number of donors (first quarter): 131
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Sam Bratton (executive, Wake Stone Corp.), $1,000
  • Theodore Bratton (officer, Wake Stone Corp.), $1,000
  • Michael B. Conlon (president, American Communities Group), $2,000
  • James Goodmon (president, Capital Broadcasting), $2,500
  • John Kane (developer), $2,500
  • David Kirby (attorney, Edwards Kirby), $1,000
  • Heather Massengill (homemaker), $1,000
  • Ron McFarlane (retired pharmacist, husband of Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane), $2,000
  • Thomas B. Oxholm (officer, Wake Stone Corp.), $1,000
  • Perry Safran (attorney, Safran Law Offices), $1,000
  • Erv Portman (Wake County commissioner), $2,000


LINDY BROWN
Money raised: $25,047
Money spent (as of April 21): $10,625
Number of donors (first quarter): 44
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Ann Campbell (investor, head of Women Awake PAC), $5,000
  • John Campbell (investor, Ann Campbell’s husband), $5,000
  • Dean Debnam (owner, Workplace Options, head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $5,000
  • Sesha Debnam (property manager, Debnam Property Management, Dean Debnam’s wife), $5,000
  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir., NEA), $1,000


Notes: This race, between a former county commissioner and an incumbent, made headlines yesterday, after Calabria criticized Brown for a Facebook post in which she lamented repeated votes to raise taxes, which has been done almost exclusive to improve school funding, even though almost all of her campaign funding—$21,000 out of about $25,000—is coming from wealthy liberals who argue that the incumbent commissioners have raised education funding enough. Brown told The News & Observer she didn’t know who made that post—or, for that matter, who edited it to correct a typo, then left it on her page for a day or so before deleting it. Make of that what you will. Worth mentioning: Calabria had planned to run for the state House, and the bulk of his fundraising—about $34,000—was transferred from that campaign fund. The winner will face Republican Frann Sarpolus in November. Sarpolus, a retired “biblical counselor,” has raised a little over $1,400, most of which came from the East Wake Republican Club.

District 3

JESSICA HOLMES (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: $43,896
Money spent (as of April 21): $21,201
Number of donors (first quarter): 10
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir, NEA), $5,200
  • Todd McGowan (Haddock Collision), $2,000
  • Ann Campbell (investor, head of Women Awake), $2,033
  • Dean Debnam (CEO, Workplace Solutions, head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $2,046


Notes: Holmes, currently the board’s chairwoman, is the only commissioner running unopposed for reelection.

District 4

ERV PORTMAN (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: $34,582
Money spent (as of April 21): $19,210
Number of donors (first quarter): 108
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • James Goodmon (president, Capitol Broadcasting), $2,375
  • Mani Sundaram (management consultant), $1,000
  • Gale Adcock (state representative), $1,000
  • Michael Conlon (owner, Affordable Communities Group), $2,000
  • John Kane (developer), $1,000
  • Ron McFarlane (pharmacist, husband of Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane), $2,000
  • Perry Safran (attorney, Safran Law Offices), $1,000
  • Curtis Stangler (retired consultant), $1,000


SUSAN EVANS
Money raised: $51,179
Money spent (as of April 21): $9,664
Number of donors (first quarter): 149
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Ann Campbell (investor, head of Women Awake), $5,200
  • John Campbell (investor, husband of Ann Campbell), $5,200
  • Dean Debnam (CEO, Workplace Solutions and head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $5,200
  • Sesha Debnam (property manager, Debnam Property Management, Dean Debnam’s wife), $5,200
  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir. of NEA), $5,200
  • Samuel Bratton (executive, Wake Stone Corporation), $1,000
  • Theodore Bratton (executive, Wake Stone Corporation), $1,000
  • Thomas B. Oxholm (CFO, Wake Stone Corporation), $1,000
  • Samuel Searcy (CCO, Graybeard Distillery), $5,200

Notes: Of all the Democratic incumbents, Erv Portman is likely the most endangered. He’s the only one getting outraised—and doubly so when you consider the PAC money being used against him (see below). While about half of Evans’s money comes from what by now are familiar names—Debnam, Campbell, Wilson—she has a fairly broad swath of support and lots of small donations, too. As a former school board member, she also has name recognition. The winner will face Republican Kim Coley, who as of February had raised a little over $1,200.

District 5

JAMES WEST (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: N/A
Money spent (as of April 21): N/A
Number of donors (first quarter): N/A
Donors over $1,000: N/A

ROBERT FINCH
Money raised: $130
Money spent (as of April 21): $130
Number of donors (first quarter): N/A
Donors of $1,000 or more: N/A

Notes: Last month, James West’s campaign treasurer asked the Board of Elections for an extension on filing the campaign report due at the end of April, saying he had health issues that had delayed him being able to put together West’s campaign finance information. In any event, it doesn’t look like Dr. West has much to be concerned about.

District 6

GREG FORD (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: $14,373
Money spent (as of April 21): $12,736
Number of donors: N/A
Donors of $1,000 or more: N/A

Notes: Ford, who along with Jessica Holmes was one of two who voted against last year’s budget, arguing that the county needed to provide the school system with more funding, doesn’t have a primary opponent this year (also like Holmes) and thus isn’t raising a bunch of money just yet. In the fall, he’ll face Republican David Blackwelder, who has raised a little less than $2,000. No one I’ve talked to thinks Ford is in any danger of losing his seat.

District 7

JOHN BURNS (INCUMBENT)
Money raised: $79,820
Money spent (as of April 21): $64,214
Number of donors (first quarter): About 150 (excluding repeat donors)
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Perry Safran Jr. (attorney, Safran Law Offices), $4,043
  • Don McGowan (attorney, Pokemon Company International, Washington state), $5,200
  • Niall Hanley (owner, Hibernian Hospitality), $1,000
  • James Goodmon (president, Capitol Broadcasting), $2,375
  • Ron McFarlane (pharmacist, husband of Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane), $2,000
  • John Kane (developer), $2,500
  • Frank Gray (attorney, Jordan Price Law Firm), $1,000
  • Tim Goettel (attorney, Smith Anderson), $1,000
  • Michael Conlon (owner, Affordable Community Group), $2,000
  • Eric Braun (retired attorney), $1,000


VICKIE ADAMSON
Money raised: $29,461
Money spent (as of April 21): $5,427
Number of donors: 57
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Ann Campbell (investor, chair of Women Awake PAC), $5,200
  • John Campbell (investor, Ann Campbell’s husband), $5,200
  • Dean Debnam (CEO, Workplace Solutions, head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $5,200
  • Sesha Debnam (property manager, Debnam Property Management, Dean Debnam’s wife), $5,200
  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir. of the NEA), $3,000


Notes: It’s interesting that two-thirds of Adamson’s funds come from two wealthy families. But that’s not all the help she’s getting from the Campbells, the Debnams, and Wilson, who all funding political action committees that are helping her along with a slate of other candidates. The winner of this race will face and almost certainly defeat Republican Alex Moore, who hasn’t reported raising any money.

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES

WAKE CITIZENS FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT
Money raised: $26,100
Money spent (as of April 21): $395
Number of donors (first quarter): 5
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • Dean Debnam (CEO of Workplace Options, head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $5,200
  • Sesha Debnam (property manager at Debnam Property Management, Dean Debnam’s wife), $5,200
  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir. of the NEA), $5,200
  • Ann Campbell (investor, chair of Women Awake), $5,000
  • John Campbell (investor, Ann Campbell’s husband), $5,000


Notable expenditures: In a document filed with the board of elections on May 2, Wake Citizens reported making $21,327 in “non-monetary gifts to other committees”—two mailers touting its five endorsed candidates—Evans, Brown, Adamson, Pierce, West—worth about $3,000 to each, plus email lists and some third-party consulting services.

Notes: For the last two years, Dean Debnam’s PAC has lain dormant, ever since his infamous DrunkTown campaign that targeted Mary-Ann Baldwin and other Raleigh City Council members over their support of downtown nightlife. Now, Debnam—who believes four of the incumbent Democratic commissioners have not adequately funded schools, has used this PAC to launch the attack website crookedcreekwakecounty.com, which accuses Burns, Calabria, Hutchinson, and Portman of voting to “bail out” a golf course when they voted last year to move forward with acquiring a long-defunct golf course in south Wake County to turn into a park. Read more about that vote here.

WOMEN AWAKE
Money raised: $25,640
Money spent (as of April 21): $1,766
Number of donors (first quarter): 40
Donors of $1,000 or more:

  • John Wilson (retired exec. dir. of the NEA), $5,200
  • Dean Debnam (CEO of Workplace Options, head of Wake Citizens for Good Government), $5,200
  • Ann Campbell (investor and Women Awake board chair), $5,200
  • John Campbell (investor, Ann Campbell’s husband), $5,200
  • Julia Kron (retired exec. dir., N.C. Teachers Academy, Women Awake board member), $1,000


Notable expenditures: In a document filed with the county board of elections on April 26, Women Awake reported that it had spent $15,668.98 in “non-monetary gifts to other committees”—in other words, it made and distributed a mailer touting its endorsed candidates, each of whom was credited with an in-kind donation of $3,892: Holmes, Evans, Brown, and Adamson.

Notes: As the INDY first reported last month, Ann Campbell founded this PAC in February after a falling out with commissioners she had previously supported who voted for a budget last year that included less money than the Board of Education wanted.