If money talks, we may have a pretty good idea of who the frontrunners are in the seven-man race to replace Tyrone resident Ronnie Chance as the state senator for the 16th district, which includes parts of Fayette, Spalding, Pike and Lamar counties.
Erik A. Manning of Tyrone has raised the most in contributions with $11,079, followed closely behind by William “Bill” G. Johnston of Griffin with $11,074 and Marty H. Harbin of Tyrone, who has pulled in $10,450.
The above and following data was reported by each candidate on their campaign contribution disclosure reports, due by March 31, and in some cases the 48-hour reports filed following that date when candidates receive contributions of $1,000 or more.
Rounding out the field is David Studdard of Fayetteville with $6,750; James W. Clifton of Peachtree City with $2,320; Gil B. Williams of Peachtree City with $800; and Delmar “Bob” R. Barnard of Fayetteville with zero contributions, though he has loaned his campaign $2,448.
Campaign loans from the candidates were also a staple of the reports. Clifton loaned his campaign $20,453, followed by Harbin with $12,000, Manning with $10,815; Johnston with $4,000 and Williams with $3,000.
Studdard was the only candidate not to report a loan to his campaign on the disclosure reports.
When it came to spending, Clifton had the lead with $9,720, followed by Harbin at $7,081, Johnston with $5,328, Williams with $2,718, Studdard with $2,468, Barnard with $1,448 and Manning with $985.
What follows is the data aggregated from each candidate’s report filed with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office:
• Gil B. Williams of Peachtree City: Total of $3,800 raised (including a $3,000 loan from the candidate) and $800 in contributions including $250 from Charles Graham of Atlanta and $200 from Christopher Tyson of Baton Rouge, La.
Williams had spent $2,718 during the reporting period.
• Maurice “Marty” H. Harbin of Tyrone: Total of $22,450 raised (including a $12,000 loan from the candidate) and $10,450 in contributions including $2,000 from Ellen Harbin of Tyrone; $1,500 from Friends of Mike Crane of Newnan; $1,100 from Michael and Caylor Harbin of Tyrone; $1,000 each from Krista Shira Frost of Newnan, Cantrell, Wesley and Bernadine of Roswell [sic] and IIA of Georgia Inc of Doraville; and $500 each from Allen and Colleen Baldwin of Peachtree City, Lee and Lucie Davis of Peachtree City, Georgia IFAPAC and P. Phillip Kearns Jr. of Peachtree City.
Harbin had spent $7,081 during the reporting period.
• David Studdard of Fayetteville: Total of $6,750 raised including $6,750 in contributions including $2,600 from Cicero Lucas IV of Lexington, S.C.; $1,000 from Cynthia Studdard of Atlanta; $500 each from Jean Studdard and Jimmy Weeks Heating and Air Conditioning of Fayetteville, $400 from L.R. Moore of Brooks; $250 each from George Creal of Atlanta and Sanchez Hayes and Associates of Tyrone; and $200 each from Mike Martin of Fayetteville, Melvin Mitchell of Lithonia, Mr. Transmission of Fayetteville, James Studdard of Jonesboro and George Wingo of Fayetteville.
Studdard had spent $2,468 this reporting period.
• William “Bill” G. Johnston III of Griffin: Total of $15,074 raised (including a $4,000 loan from the candidate) and $11,074 in contributions including $1,000 each from William G. Johnston of Thomaston, James Westbury of Griffin, Allstar Amusement Games of Experiment, Ideal ATM of Experiment, Lucky Mart of Griffin, Metro Title Loans of Griffin and Ram and Rahim Inc. of Griffin; $500 each from David Magusiak of Griffin, Rita’s Jewelry and Pawn of Griffin and Jerry Stapleton of Fayetteville; $300 from David Dunaway of Thomaston; $250 from Jay Matthews of Barnesville; and $200 each from Gary Cox of Thomaston, Carol Morrow of Griffin and Kip Wise of Griffin.
Johnston had spent $5,328 this reporting period.
• James William Clifton of Peachtree City: Total of $22,773 raised (including a $20,453 loan from the candidate) and $2,320 in contributions including $1,500 from the Georgia Association of Realtors PAC, $500 from Wayne Barton of Fayetteville and $250 from B.H. Craven of Brooks.
Clifton had spent $9,720 this reporting period.
• Delmar R. “Bob” Barnard of Fayetteville: Total of $2,448 raised, all on a loan from the candidate.
Barnard had spent $1,448 this reporting period.
• Erik A. Manning of Tyrone: Total of $21,894 raised (including a $10,815 loan from the candidate) and $11,079 in contributions including $2,500 from Michael Neill of Fayetteville; $1,00 from Elaine Levine of Atlanta; $750 from Gary Andriate of Peachtree City; $500 each from Barbara Alexander of Roswell, Laurie Benesh of Atlanta, Peachtree City Pawn and Jewelry of Fayetteville and Reid Spearman of Elkridge, Maryland; $300 each from Kevin Daniell of Newnan, Mathieu Griffin of Tyrone and Ryan Snow of Tyrone; $250 each from Anita Clark of Jonesboro, Kevin Elrod of Newnan, Cristina Leon of Decatur; and $200 each from Carl Bellamy of Sharpsburg, Adam Fisher of Peachtree City; Susan Godbee of Tyrone, Mike Massey of Tyrone, Joyce Spindler of Tyrone and Wayne Yelton of Sharpsburg.
Manning had spent $985 this reporting period.
