The race for Position 2 on the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners continues to heat up.
The money to fund the campaigns of the two front runners is, while not record-setting, substantial and growing daily in anticipation of the May 21 election.
The Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division’s OreStar system tallies campaign contributions and expenditures for races ranging from city councils to state offices. A look at the campaign finance reports for candidates can be illuminating in revealing who is supporting candidates and how the candidates are spending their money.
In the case of the Yamhill County commission, incumbent Lindsay Berschauer and challenger David “Bubba” King had gathered similar coffers as of May 2. The third candidate for the office, Newberg resident David Wall, had no reported contributions or expenditures as of that date.
Berschauer, seeking her second term in office, had received a total of $50,333 in cash and in-kind contributions as of April 25. Her total expenditures totaled $21,557 as of that date — $18,498 in cash and $3,058 in in-kind expenditures. Her ending fund balance topped $30,387 as of May 2.
The majority of Berschauer’s contributions emanate from large organizations and deep-pocketed donors and began in earnest in November 2023. The list is rife with contributions from agricultural and timber producers who see Berschauer as an ally protecting their interests, including Carlton farmers Mitchell and Marcel Gaibler ($4,500), Farmers Direct ($4,000), Meadow Ridge Farms ($2,500), fellow commissioner and commercial farmer Kit Johnston ($2,500), KCK Farms ($2,000) and Dayton agriculture producer Creekside Valley Farms ($1,000).
Other large donors include McMinnville businessman Craig Pubols ($5,000), Carlton excavation contractor Lawson Corp. ($3,500), Town and Country PAC, the group that was a major contributor in a 2023 effort to elect three conservative members to McMinnville school board ($2,500), Community Oriented Public Servants (COPS) PAC, which financially supported Dave Brown and several candidates for the Newberg school board in 2023 election ($1,500), Andrea Fields ($1,500), Friends of (fellow commissioner) Mary Starrett ($1,500), Friends of (state representative) Anna Scharf ($1,001), Oregonians for Affordable Housing ($1,000), Michael Morris ($1,000), and the Oregon Firearms Federation, an organization run by Starrett’s brother, ($1,000).
As is customary for countywide elections, Berschauer’s expenditures were primary for signage and other outreach efforts: PIP Communications ($1,000), Bridgeview Press, a Cave Junction-based sign company that caters to conservative candidates throughout the Northwest, ($11,474), and herself ($1,087).
As of April 25, King had collected $48,885 in total contributions ($40,360 in-cash and $9,525 in-kind). His expenditures totaled $63,557 ($54,032 in cash and $9,525 in-kind) and he carried a $15,382 ending cash balance.
Many of King’s largest contributors appear to have come from individuals, including Barbara Hilty ($5,000), Ronni Lacroute ($4,500), Joanne Biron ($4,000), Dean Werth ($2,000), Michael Griffiths ($2,000), Kathleen Rock ($2,500), Barbara Gross ($2,500), and $1,000 contributions from Mike McNally, Laurel Powers, Steven Rupp, Veronica Hinkes, Amelia Carusopicker, Kyle Timmins and Jay Rivas.
Organizations depositing large sums in King’s campaign war chest include Oregon Cares PAC, the group supported the moderate candidates that took over the Newberg school board ($5,840), Oregon Taproot, the Carlton-based organization supports progressive candidates in the county, ($3,018), and past commissioner candidate Beth Wytoski for Yamhill County ($1,000). Moody Business Solutions provided a $3,000 in-kind donation as well.
Mirroring Berschauer’s expenditures, King has directed his campaign funds toward communications, advertising and signage: Signs on the Cheap ($11,793), Phoenix Innovate Amplified Mail ($9,927), Outfront Media ($5,500), Equity Action Partners ($3,125), C&E Systems ($2,340), Oregon Cares PAC ($2,000) and Community Newspapers ($1,000).
Orestar will continue to accumulate C&E reports up to and past the date of the May election.
Most Popular
Comments / 0