Early voting is happening now in the the Knox County primary election, and candidate financial disclosures offer useful insight to how candidates are running their campaigns. The recent filings to the Knox County Election Commission cover spending and donations from July to mid-January.
Campaign finance filings show who’s donating to who, how much personal money candidates are spending and more. But unless you know what you’re looking for, they may seem confusing and full of jargon.
Knox News looked at all disclosures for candidates running for county office and noted the most significant donations and expenditures.
According to state law, candidates may receive donations of up to $1,800 per donor for each election. Here are some of the highlights in Knox County:
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- Daniel Herrera, a GOP challenger to incumbent Knox County Law Director David Buuck, received seven $1,800 donations from William Arowood, David Barnett, John Brock, David Brown, Mark Hall, H.M. Hashermian and Kathy Reilly. Those contributed to an over $46,000 haul this reporting period. He has significantly outraised Buuck, who reported just over $20,000 in donations, though Herrera only spent around $4,000 more than Buuck.
- S. Arthur Moore, Democratic candidate for Knox County Commission District 5, received an $1,800 donation from John Moore.
- Incumbent Knox County District 2 Commissioner Courtney Durrett received $1,800 from Phillip Lawson, a well-known donor to Democratic candidates who chairs LHP Capital. She raised just over $7,000 this period. She’s unopposed in the Democratic primary and her two opponents in the general (who are also unopposed in their primaries), Ethan Grantham and Debbie Phillips, both raised under $600.
- Incumbent District 6 Knox County Commissioner Terry Hill received $1,800 each from Disney Construction owners Dwight and Aundrea Disney. State law allows a husband and wife to separately donate $1,800. Donations from the developers are notable as Hill has helped usher in Advance Knox, a plan for future development.
- Matthew Park, candidate for Knox County Commission District 9, received $1,800 from the Knox County Planning Alliance member Kevin Murphy. Park is the only Democratic candidate running for the 9th District. He was outraised by Republican candidate Andy Fox, who also outraised his primary challenger, Barry Neal.
- Angie Goethert, a Republican candidate for the Knox County Board of Education District 3, received $1,800 donations each from former Board of Education Chair Douglas Harris and his wife, Carla. She received over $19,000 in donations this period, while her primary opponent, Robert Daspit, received short of $2,000.
- Lauren Morgan, a Republican candidate for Knox County Board of Education 3rd District, also received received two $1,800 donations from former Board of Education Chair Douglas Harris and his wife, Carla. Morgan raised over $26,000 this period and is running unopposed in the primary. Terrye Whitaker, who’s running unopposed in the 5th District’s Democratic primary, raised short of $900 this period.
These candidates received donations from other candidates
It wasn’t uncommon for candidates to donate to each other’s campaigns during this financial reporting period.
- Justin Hirst, a Republican candidate for Knox County Commission District 1, received a $250 donation from Herrera’s private law firm.
- Durrett received a $100 donation from Knox County Commission 4th District candidate Shane Jackson.
- Phillips received a $250 donation from Hirst.
- Garrett Holt, a Republican candidate for Knox County Commission District 4, received a $300 donation from Herrera.
- Fox received $510.73 from Hirst.
- Park received a $100 donation from law director candidate Jackson Fenner. Park also received a $100 donation from Daniel Greene, Democratic candidate for Knox County Commission District 6.
- Herrera received $666.98 from Hirst, $260.73 from Knox County Commission District 5 candidate Brian Walker, $52.40 from Daspit and $104.48 from Holt.
These candidates received notable donations
It’s common for politicians, on the local and state levels, and prominent community members to donate to candidates running for county office.
- Toni Scott, a Republican candidate Knox County Commission District 5, received a $1,000 donation from state Rep. Jason Zachary’s political action committee.
- Hill received $1,000 from Commissioner Kim Frazier and $500 from Commissioner Larsen Jay.
- D.J. Corcoran, a Republican candidate for Knox County Commission District 8, received $1,600 from Property Assessor John Whitehead.
- Goethert received $1,000 from former Gov. Bill Haslam, $1,000 from Pilot founder Jim Haslam and $1,000 from Natalie Haslam. She also received $1,600 from David Colquitt, husband of Annie Haslam Colquitt.
- Travis Wright, a Republican candidate for Knox County Board of Education District 8, received $1,000 from Bill Haslam, $1,000 from Jim Haslam and $1,000 from Natalie Haslam. He also received $1,550 from David Colquitt.
Allie Feinberg reports on politics for Knox News. Email her: allie.feinberg@knoxnews.com and follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @alliefeinberg.