Campaign finance reports for four candidates seeking the District 1 and District 3 Cleveland County Commissioner seats show wide support for the Republicans in each race.
Independent Matt Peacock, who is the Ward 8 City Councilor, will challenge incumbent Republican Rod Cleveland for the District 1 seat.
Democrat Mona “Mo” Vaughn will challenge Republican Rusty Grissom for the District 3 seat. which will be vacated in January after longtime Commissioner Harold Haralson lost the primary.
County residents will decide the next commissioners Tuesday.
District 1
Finance reports for the final reporting period showed Peacock raised $17,087.50 and spent $14,503.53. His highest expenditures were for campaign consulting, signs and mailed print materials. His ending balance was $2,583.97.
While most of Peacock’s donors contributed between $100 to $200, several contributed $1,000 or more, reports show..
His biggest donor was Elizabeth McCown, the owner of Visioneer Construction in Norman, who contributed $2,600. Local real estate developer James Adair donated $2,500 while Local Ideal Homes builder Richard McKown donated $2,000.
Denali Homes owner Kelly Webb, of Norman, contributed $1,000 as did local Bently Turf Farms owner Dennis Brigham, and Islamic Society of Norman president Ahmad Sanwar.
Peacock did not report any donations from political action committees, or PACs, which pool campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives or legislation.
Cleveland’s campaign raised $78,380.77 and spent $42,510.99, according to reports. His largest expenses were signs and print marketing materials. He reported an ending balance of $38,661.85.
Most of his contributions ranged from $200 to $500, with several donors who contributed up to $5,000, including two PACs and a political party committee.
The Oklahoma Realtors PAC of Oklahoma City donated $2,164 to Cleveland while the Norman Business PAC and the Helen Cole Republican Women’s Club each donated $1,000.
Local homebuilders Gene McKown and Vernon McKown donated $5,000 each to Cleveland’s cause, while Local Ideal Homes builder Zach Roach donated $4,000. Tracy Spurgeon of Community Works, which is the Alan J. Couch Juvenile Detention operator, also contributed $4,000.
Attorney Hall Ezzell donated $2,900 and PB Odom home builder Paul Odom contributed $2,000.
Former University of Oklahoma football coach Barry Switzer donated $1,500 and local homebuilder Jalal Farzaneh gave $1,000.
District 3
Campaign finance reports for the final period indicated Vaughn raised $2,210 and spent $1,954. Her highest expenses were for consulting and print marketing materials. Her ending balance was $255.
Vaughn’s highest donation of $500 was from University of Oklahoma professor Caryn Vaughn of Norman. Most additional donations from individuals were between $100 and $250. No political action committees (PACs) appeared on any of Mona Vaughn’s contribution reports.
Grissom reported $126,384.92 in contributions for the final period and spent $69,748.88. His largest expenses were consulting, social media marketing, and print marketing materials. His ending balance was $56,636.
His largest donation was $5,000 from auto dealers Seth and Nina Wadley of Norman. Oklahoma City residents Doug and Dave Northcutt contributed $5,000 each. Both are self-employed.
Numerous contributors donated at least $1,000 or more to Grissom’s campaign, including Switzer, who gave $2,900.
Norman residents and auto dealers Donald & Suzanne Griffin of Fowler Holdings donated $2,500.
Self-employed Noble residents Jamie Arebalo and Christy Arebalo donated $2,400 and $2,800 respectively. Tracy Spurgeon of Norman, who is also self-employed, donated $2,000.
Two PACs donated to Grissom’s campaign. The chamber-sponsored Norman Business PAC donated $1,000, and Oklahoma Realtors PAC of Oklahoma City contributed $2,164.
Vernon McKown and Richard McKown donated $2,500 and $1,000 respectively.
