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Successful candidates need money, and plenty of it, to pay for TV and newspaper ads, glossy mailers and other campaign materials. But even with contribution limits, some donors are more equal than others.
Tallahassee rainmakers use multiple campaign contributions to spread influence
Please Click Here To Read The Whole Story From Jeff Burlew Of The Tallahassee Democrat
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TOP DONORS
Here are some of the biggest campaign donors in Tallahassee.
Contributor Total:
» Ghazvini businesses, principles, family $20,500
» Rogers, Gunter, Vaughn Insurance, principles, family $11,939
» Arbor Properties and Gordon Thames $11,570
» Culpepper Construction, principles, family $10,047
» Talcor businesses, principles $7,000
» Tallahassee Land Company, Buford family $6,270
» Tony Grippa, Brown & Brown $6,000
» Ron Sachs Communications, principles and family $5,950
• Ron Book, businesses and family $5,250
» Capital City Bank principles, family $5,010
» Sean Pittman law firm, businesses, family $4,500
» Ajax Building Corporation $3,250
Source: Tallahassee Democrat research
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS
Top individual donors to Leon County political races in the 2012 election cycle.
Contributor Total
• Kim Williams $2,575
• Bart Gunter $2,500
• Talcor Commercial Real
• Estate $2,250
• John Lewis $2,150
• Michael Scaringe $2,000
• Jeff Howell $1,900
• Ajax Building Corporation $1,750
• John Hubbs $1,750
• Robert Annin $1,750
• Mainline Information Systems $1,600
• Greg Marr $1,595
• Bateman Harden PA $1,500
• Bill Gunter & Associates $1,500
• RB Asset Management, LLC $1,500
• David Vincent $1,500
• Dennis Tribble $1,500
• LaRaela Gunter $1,500
• Laura Rogers $1,500
Source: Leon County Supervisor of Elections
CAMPAIGN INFLUENCE
Besides the Ghazvinis, Arbor Properties and Talcor, here are some more major political donors:
• Rogers, Gunter, Vaughn Insurance, its principles and family members gave $11,939 to County Commissioners Akin Akinyemi and Bryan Desloge, Sheriff Larry Campbell, City Commissioner Andrew Gillum, County Commission candidate Mary Ann Lindley, City Commission candidate Scott Maddox, Superintenent of Schools Jackie Pons and School Board member DeeDee Rasmussen. The firm is the insurance broker for Leon County Schools.
• Culpepper Construction, its principles and family members gave $10,047 to Akinyemi, Desloge, Pons, Rasmussen and City Commission candidate Steve Stewart. The company has built a number of county schools.
• Tallahassee Land Company, related businesses and the Buford family gave $6,270 to Campbell, Gillum, Property Appraiser Bert Hartsfield, Lindley, Maddox, Tax Collector Doris Maloy and Pons.
• Former County Commissioner Tony Grippa and the Brown & Brown office in Daytona gave $6,000 to Campbell, Lindley, Maddox, Pons, Rasmussen, Sauls and County Commission candidate Fred Varn.
• Ron Sachs Communications and the Sachs family gave $5,950 to Campbell, Desloge, Gillum, Clerk of the Court Bob Inzer, Lindley, Maddox, Pons and Rasmussen.
• Ron Book, business entities and family gave $5,250 to Gillum, Lindley, Maddox and Rasmussen. Book is a contract lobbyist for the city.
• The Smith family, Capital City Bank and its principles gave $5,010 to Campbell, Desloge, County Commission candidate Emily Fritz, Gillum, Lindley, Pons, Sauls and Stewart.
• Sean Pittman and business entities and family gave $4,500 to City Commission candidate Eric Friall, Gillum, Maddox and Maloy. Pittman is a contract lobbyist for the city.
• Ajax Building Corporation gave $3,250 to Akinyemi, Campbell, Desloge, Gillum, Maddox and Pons. The company is building the new city/county Public Safety Complex.
Source: Tallahassee Democrat research
Candidate fund-raising totals
Clerk of court
Bob Inzer (incumbent): Raised $31,502. Spent $12,475.
Cynthia Turner: $17,605. Spent $17,038.
Sheriff
Larry Campbell (incumbent): Raised $123,163. Spent $88,615.
Tommy Mills: Raised $63,601. Spent $49,642.
Lisa Sprague: Raised $36,396. Spent $34,848.
Superintendent of schools
Jackie Pons (incumbent): $288,584. Spent $33,298.
Sabrina M. Allen: Raised $2,744 Spent $1,620.
County Commission (at-large)
Akin Akinyemi (incumbent): Raised $33,718. Spent $30,812.
Emily Fritz: Raised $61,665. Spent $58,687.
Mary Ann Lindley: Raised $64,969. Spent $42,719.
Fred Varn: Raised $34,387. Spent $14,166.
County Commission (District 2)
Jane Sauls (incumbent): Raised $8,825. Spent $142.
Kirk Headley-Perdue: Raised $15,700. Spent $3,615.
Tallahassee City Commission (Seat 1)
Eric Friall: Raised $23,230. Spent $15,651.
Bob Fulford: Raised $370. Spent $370.
Delaitre Hollinger: Raised $5,949. Spent $3,841.
Scott Maddox: Raised $125,034. Spent $102,196.
Daniel Parker: Raised $25,052. Spent $15,425.
Steve Stewart: Raised $55,103. Spent $38,542.
Tallahassee City Commission (Seat 2)
Andrew Gillum (incumbent): Raised $79,708. Spent $16,730.
Jacob Eaton: Raised $1,250. Spent $757.
Nicholas Halley: Raised $2,953. Spent $666.
David (Bubba) Riddle: Raised $865. Spent $831.
State Attorney
Willie Meggs (incumbent): Raised $26,817. Spent $815.
Pete Williams: Raised $59,974. Spent $10,324.
Circuit judge
Josefina Tamayo (incumbent): Raised $43,905. Raised $20,727.
Kris Dunn: Raised $13,462. Spent $8,479.
Barbara Hobbs: Raised $27,535. Spent $10,145.
Source: Leon County Supervisor of Elections, Florida Division of Elections.
July 29, 2012
Government Officials, Law Enforcement