Campaign Contributions Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Campaign Donors In Primary Race For Governor Spark Voter Attention

There’s more to glean from a candidate’s campaign financial reports than the amount of money raised. Who and where the contributions come from can spark voter alerts.

There’s more to glean from a candidate’s campaign financial reports than the amount of money raised. Who and where the contributions come from can be a reason for voter alerts.

Third quarter campaign finance reports in the West Virginia governor’s race show the four leading candidates, all Republican, raised nearly $1.2 million combined. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey accounted for nearly half that amount.

Marybeth Beller, Marshall University associate professor of Political Science, looked closely at in-state versus out-of-state contributions. She noted that of the two front-runners, 57 percent of Del. Moore Capito’s donations came from West Virginia donors, while 83 percent of Morrisey’s donors come from out-of-state. Beller said voters should pay attention to that.

“Voters need to really be wary, no matter who the candidate is, if the bulk of that candidate’s support is coming from outside the state,” Beller said. “What did those out-of-state interests have? And what are they trying to get from the gubernatorial position in West Virginia?”

The quarterly reports list donors that have given contributions under $250. Each donation is counted separately, creating multiple donations from single sources.

Beller noted that among the four leading candidates, businessman Chris Miller had 78 donations under $250, with just four multiple donations.

Secretary of State Mac Warner listed 281 individuals donating under $250 with 17 multiples. Capito had 322 individual donations with 25 multiple donors.

Morrisey reported 21,990 individual donations, with most from donors that contributed small amounts multiple times. Beller said this counting system can skew campaign ads.

“Morrisey can say in his ads that he has nearly 22,000 people contribute individual donations,” Beller said. “What would be misleading is for the audience to think that that meant they were individual donors. Most of those are recurring donations.”

Beller said that unlike his competitors, where most contributors list their address and occupation, the bulk of Morrisey’s contributors are unidentified.

“I would urge the Secretary of State’s office to really investigate those disclosures,” Beller said. “I think the public deserves to know where these contributions are coming from for all of the candidates.”

W.Va. State Auditor McCuskey Exits Governor’s Race, Enters 2024 Attorney General Campaign

State Auditor J.B. McCuskey announced Monday he has dropped out of the governor’s race and is now running for attorney general.

State Auditor J.B. McCuskey announced Monday he has officially dropped out of the governor’s race and is now running for attorney general.

In changing campaigns, the former delegate and two term state auditor said he realized he was behind in the polls and fundraising in a primary race for governor that included a U.S. Senator’s son, Del. Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, businessman Chris Miller, current Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and current Secretary of State Mac Warner. McCuskey said seeking the AG’s office was a better goal.

“I looked at the offices,” McCuskey said. “I believe that the combination of my experience as the executive of one of the largest constitutional offices in the state of West Virginia, with my extensive legal background, makes me an ideal candidate to be the next attorney general.”

McCuskey says his nearly $700,000 campaign war chest stands strong in running against the other republican AG candidates, State Sens. Ryan Weld, R-Brooke, and Mike Stewart, R-Kanawha. He came in fourth in fundraising for the governor’s race, showing $412,083 cash-on-hand.

That’s a good deal more than his two AG primary opponents.

Stating he’s a strong and principled conservative, McCuskey said the AG’s office acts as the state’s lawyer for all of the agencies, all of the boards and commissions, and all the constitutional officers.

“As the person that managed all the finances for every single one of those agencies,” he said. “Often dealing in the legal realm as to what is legal and what is possible, I think that being the state’s lawyer with all those relationships is going to be a huge help.”

McCuskey said he wants “to continue what Patrick Morrisey has accomplished over his time as attorney general that has been wildly successful.” He said his campaign will focus on being a consumer protection advocate, civil rights protector, criminal justice reformer and empowering the state’s public defender service.

“We have worked long and hard in our office to make sure that they’re getting paid very quickly,” McCuskey said. “We need to make sure that we’re paying them appropriately so that we can have a great public defender’s office to ensure all of those duties are running smoothly.”

J.B. McCuskey lives in Charleston, with his wife Wendy, and daughters Martha and Charlotte.

Manchin Campaign War Chest Exceeds Potential Rivals

Manchin reported more than $10 million for year-to-date cash on hand. Mooney and Justice combined year-to-date cash on hand totals reach about $2.3 million.

Even though he’s not yet declared, Sen. Joe Manchin’s 2024 campaign contribution totals tower over his potential Republican rivals.

In the second quarter 2023 campaign finance reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Manchin, D-W.Va., raised $1.268,705.31 million. Republican Senate candidate Gov. Jim Justice raised just under $1 million in the second quarter. Senate candidate and U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney, R-W.Va, raised $550.000.

Manchin reported $10,710,680.37 for year-to-date cash on hand. Mooney and Justice combined year-to-date cash on hand totals reach about $2.3 million.

Marshall University Associate Professor of Political Science Marybeth Beller said many major Manchin contributors come from out-of-state and have maxed out at the new $6,600 contribution limit.

Beller likens Manchin’s war chest to an organization that works to elect progressive women called Emily’s List. EMILY is an acronym for “early money is like yeast.” She said the funds act as a deterrent for any Democrat thinking about taking him on should he declare to run again for Senate.

“I think what’s going on here is that Senator Manchin is working very, very hard to outshine any possible opposition in his party, or across the aisle by raising all of this money,” Beller said. “If anything should happen, and he fails to get the primary nomination, he can return those donations that have already come in for the general.”

Manchin is also co-chair of the national No Labels party and touted as a possible third-party presidential candidate. Beller said Manchin has an all-options-open electoral strategy for No Labels as well.

“That strategy does not include his home state,” Beller said. “West Virginia is already counted in the solid Republican line with no chance of going for any No Labels candidate whatsoever. I don’t think there will be a viable Senate opponent should he decide to run, I’m sure there will be an opponent.”

Beller said in analyzing the FEC numbers, there are a number of banks around West Virginia that are contributing to Manchin. She said ActBlue, which collects small democratic donor contributions and then gives them out to Democrats, could include a lot of West Virginia donors. But she said it’s telling that the big money donations come from elsewhere.

“Of all those thousands of dollars that have come in for Senator Manchin, only four individual contributors are from West Virginia,” Beller said. “It tells me that the senator is very powerful and that a lot of people are courting his votes, and that he is going to be important if he’s still in the Senate. But nobody’s willing to write him off, by any stretch.”

Manchin has said he will make any possible campaign announcement this December.

W.Va. Campaign Finance Reporting For Governor’s Race

With more than 10 months until the May, 2024 primary elections, several West Virginia candidates for governor have campaign fundraising operations in full swing.

With more than 10 months until the May 2024 primary elections, several West Virginia candidates for governor have campaign fundraising operations in full swing.

The deadline for quarterly campaign finance reports turned into the Secretary of State’s office was this past Friday.

Fundraising numbers this early will show tiers of support and resources that candidates use to develop their campaigns.

Gov. Jim Justice is up against term limits and running for U.S. Senate, setting up a wide field of Republican gubernatorial candidates, no Democrat has announced as of yet.

In the race for governor, Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, reported raising $1.3 million for the second quarter 2023 fundraising period.

Morrisey reported spending $294,386 on his campaign so far overall – and has $1,084,305 cash still on hand.

House Judiciary chairman Del. Moore Capito, R-Kanawha, is running for governor. The son of U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., reported $288,329 in contributions during the period. Capito has raised a little more than $1 million overall and has spent about $124,000 leaving him with a little more than $948,000 on hand.

Republican auditor and gubernatorial candidate J.B. McCuskey reported $120,374 in contributions over the period. Reports show his campaign has brought in $648,233 overall, spending $236,247, leaving $412,082 available.

Republican Secretary of State Mac Warner, a candidate for governor, reported raising a little more than $96,000 during the reporting period. Warner reported raising more than $324,689 overall so far, and spent more than $125,313 — leaving $194,509 cash on hand.

The first to get into the governor’s race was auto dealer Chris Miller. He’s the Republican son of U.S. Rep. Carol Miller. His second quarter campaign fundraising numbers are not yet on the SOS website. A press release from Miller announced raising over $3.8 million since the start of the campaign, with 93 percent of contributions coming from within West Virginia. The release said Miller now has nearly $3.5 million cash on hand after raising $316,182 last quarter.

According to a recent poll sponsored by the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, frontrunners Morrisey and Capito are neck and neck. The poll shows Morrisey at 31 percent and Capito at 30 percent. Mac Warner had nine percent, Chris Miller had five percent, J.B. McCuskey had three percent, while five percent said they would support another candidate and 17 percent were unsure.

WVU Political Science Department Chair John Kilwein said early fundraising numbers don’t necessarily go hand in hand with early polling numbers.

“Chris Miller raised just over $600,000, but there’s only a five percent poll showing,” Kilwein said. “That comes from a name but as a representative number, that’s a little bit surprising. It’s also surprising to me that Mac Warner is only nine percent in the poll and raised just over $300,000.”

Rashida Yost, a Republican candidate for governor from Martinsburg, raised $8,100 during the period. Yost has $8,593 on hand overall.

Former Republican delegate Marshall Wilson, running for governor under the America Coming Together party, reports $915 on hand.

Kilwein said candidate campaign expenditures at this time in the election cycle become geared to raising poll numbers incrementally.

“If you do have that money in your back pocket as the Chamber’s first polling is the first cut, it is just a snapshot,” Kilwein said. “If you do have $600,000, you’re going to try to get your name out there and try to bump that 5 percent up to double digits, and get into those two frontrunners.”

West Virginia’s 2024 primary election is May 14.

W.Va. Campaign Finances Open To The Public

With many candidates for 2024 state offices announcing early, campaign finances are beginning to flow.

This is what is known as the pre-candidate stage in the election cycle. To legally begin financing a campaign, candidates have to file with the Secretary of State’s (SOS) office. As a pre-candidate, one is not bound to run for office. On the SOS website, under elections, there’s a campaign finance reporting system tab.

Once filed for pre-candidacy, candidates must deliver detailed quarterly finance reports to the SOS. Missy Kinder, campaign finance specialist, said on the reporting system website the public can see how much money candidates have received from a person or group – and how much the candidate has spent.

Missy Kinder, campaign finance specialist in the Secretary of State’s office.

“You can sort through the data by the race they’re entering, by office, by their political affiliation, there’s just several different ways that you can find the information that you’re looking for,” Kinder said.

Kinder said the website details money from fundraising events, campaign loans and just who is contributing to campaigns.

“If you’re looking to see if a certain individual has given to candidates, you can even break it down that far,” she said. “If they have contributed any expenditures that a particular candidate has made, you can search through that. There’s also a data download portion of our website that you can go to and that will show any transactions that have occurred in a regular calendar year.”

Relating to transparency in the election cycle, Kinder said it’s important to show that campaign contributions are coming from reliable sources legally allowed to give.

“Corporations cannot give,” she said. “If that corporation would have a separate segregated PAC, a political action committee, that political action committee can give. It all comes from West Virginia State Code.”

Kinder said the public can call or email the Secretary of State’s office if they have any issues with navigating the campaign finance reporting system site.

Candidates can officially file for state office from January 8 – 27 of 2024.

Update: Hemp Restrictions, Alcohol Enhancement Bills Among Number To Pass Legislation

On Friday, the House passed Senate Bill 220, the Industrial Hemp Development Act, covering the sale of kratom and other hemp-derived cannabinoids including delta-8 and delta-10.

Updated on Saturday, March. 11, 2023 at 5:20 p.m.

The political ping-pong match that is the final day of session is starting to provide results. Saturday afternoon, the Senate received several bills from the House of Delegates and concurred on their amendments.

Senate Bill 220, the Industrial Hemp Development Act, became law, as did Senate Bill 534, which allows cities to designate outdoor areas for the sale, service and consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Senate Bill 422, which requires public schools to publish curriculum online at the start of each school year also became law.

Original Post:

On Friday, the House passed Senate Bill 220, the Industrial Hemp Development Act, covering the sale of kratom and other hemp-derived cannabinoids including delta-8 and delta-10. The bill limits the sale to those 21 years old and up. Unapproved products are considered contraband with criminal penalties for unlawful possession, distribution and sales.

The House amended the bill to exempt products with no THC, derived mostly from the plant stems, such as clothing and flip-flops.

The vote was 92 to 4 and it returned to the Senate.

Online Curriculum

Senate Bill 422 requires each school to publish its up-to-date curriculum on the school’s or County’s website. This was recommended by Gov. Jim Justice during his State of the State address. New or revised curriculum would have to be posted within 30 days of adoption.

Some delegates said the bill duplicates what is already accessible. Others said working parents struggle to attend teachers meetings, and a curriculum posting should be easily accessible.

The vote was 75-21. SB 422 returns to the Senate.

Outdoor Alcohol

Senate Bill 534 allows cities to designate outdoor areas for the sale, service and consumption of alcoholic beverages through city ordinance and state-licensing. Del. Tom Fast, R-Fayette, objected to allowing free alcohol samples at fairs and festivals.

Del. Bryan Ward, R-Pendleton, also objected to government promotion of alcohol.

“I would just suggest maybe next year we can try to legalize prostitution and the state could just be the pimps and we could make some money,” Ward said.

The vote was 59-32 and it returned to the Senate .

Campaign Contributions

After an abrupt and vote-turning debate, the House advanced Senate Bill 508, increasing campaign contribution limits that trigger reporting requirements.

Currently, any person who contributes more than $500 in a three-month period, or $200 in any one month, to present a program to the public designed to influence legislation must register with the state Ethics Commission as a sponsor of a “grassroots lobbying campaign” under state law.

Additionally the campaign sponsor must report the names and addresses of each person contributing $25 or more to the campaign to the Ethics Commission under current state law.

Under SB 508, those reporting thresholds are raised to $5,000 and $1,000, respectively. The $25 threshold would be raised to $1,000.

Bill opponents said the measure would enhance dark money spending, referring to a term used for undisclosed spending to sway voters’ opinions.

SB 508 goes to the governor for signature.

Defining a Minor

House Bill 3190 amends the state’s definition of a minor to include adults who use electronic devices to catch child predators.

Trump explained that the current legal definition of a minor is so specific, it does not allow law enforcement to arrest predators that have been caught luring or soliciting minors online during stings where officers impersonate minors.

While in committee, an amendment was proposed to the bill that would removed the marital exemption for sexual assault from state code. The amendment failed on the Senate floor because it was not germane to the original bill.

HB 3190 now goes back to the House for concurrence.