Probate judge candidates ramp up spending

Published 3:00 am Friday, May 11, 2018

One month ahead of the June primaries, candidates for probate judge have begun spending the campaign contributions they’ve been bringing in since they began their campaigns.

In April, Alton Starling spent $8,885.74 of his campaign funds, leaving him with $204.58 in his campaign account. He donated $4,600 of that amount to himself in two loans, one of $4,000 and one of $600. He also received $100 in non-itemized cash contributions in April. The total comes out at $4,800.

His April expenditures included three payments to Marketing Services for advertising. The payments were for $3,0000, $4,000, and $1,500.He also paid Oliver King $200 for putting out signs, Brundidge Rotary Club $100, Troy Country Club $50 and Jabs Sporting Goods $32.74. He also paid Troy Bank and Trust a service charge of $3.

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Michael Bunn spent $8,053.78 in April, leaving him with $4,325.57 in his account. He spent $5,012 on advertising with Troy Cablevision, $1,600 with the Troy Messenger and a total of $896.96 with Ideal Graphics. He also spent a total of $355.85 at Lowe’s, $61.98 at Walmart, and $126.99 at Zaxby’s.

During April, Bunn received in-kind contributions from Virtus Solutions for a total of $2,700.

He received cash contributions from Ben Dunn for $50, tom and Pat pate for $75, Biz PAC for $2,500, J. Mark Wheeler for $250, Rosemary Bennett for $50, Wendy Ward for $50 and R. E. Nunnelee for $25. The total for the month added up to $3,000.

It is the most expensive month for either candidate thus far in the campaign.

Before April, Bunn had spent a total of $13,275.65 over the course of 10 months.

Those expenditures include $250 to Goshen High School Boosters, $325 to PLAS Athletic Boosters, $50 to the Pike County Republican Party, $250 to the Charles Henderson Athletic Foundation, $200 to the Alabama High School Rodeo, $50 to the CHHS Band, $100 to the Troy University College Republicans, $100 to Lanette Waldon, $54.62 to Walmart, $800 to WTBF Radio, $709.94 to Boosters, $2,180.54 to Ideal Graphics, $957.60 to the Troy Messenger, $150 to the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, $721.18 to Virtus Solutions, $1,724.63 to Ideal Graphics, $100 to the Pike County Board of Education, $475 to Caleb Hicks, $1,225 to the US Postal Service, $200 to Jesse Rhodes, $1,926.08 to the Pike County Republican Party, $381.06 to Ideal Graphics, $60 to the Troy United Women’s League, $150 to Caleb Hicks, $35 to Meredith Hatcher and $100 to PLAS Sports Boosters.

In addition to $2,700 from Virtus Solution in in-kind solutions during April, the company donated $14,130 for a total of $16,830 throughout the campaign.

Prior to April, Bunn received cash contributions of $200 from Melanie and Russell Baker, $250 from Braxton F. Green, $150 from Heather Bunn, $100 from Brandy Cox, $500 from Kelley and Kay Grenson, $50 from Janan Hussey, $1,000 from Perry Green Insurance, $1,000 from Bryan Saunders, $1,000 from Tyler Transport, $7,500 from himself (Michael Bunn), $100 from Kerrick Williams, $100 from David Hennigan, $200 from Jason Moorman, $25 from William Whigham, $1,00 from Laurence Turrin, $200 from John C. and Elizabeth Dawson, $100 from Diana and Danny Lee, $250 from Conley Freeman, $100 from David R. and Jean Woodruff Laliberte, $100 from Orion Hunting Club, $50 from Vince and Teresa Bullard, $500 from Heather Bunn, $30 from Judy P. Green, $100 from Neil B. Haigh, $50 from Margaret P. and Patton S. Hammond, $100 from Regina Hendrix, $100 from Keith Laney, $100 from Jean Parks Orendorff, $500 from Pegasus International Enterprises, $100 from Scherr D. and Gwen Qualls, $20 from Jane Segars, $100 from Isabelle Warren, $50 from Nicholas and Kerry P. Loflin, $100 from Delanie and Jason Bennett, $150 from Lewis Fannin, $250 from Tom Bun, $250 from Shirley Weatherford, $250 from Mark Wheeler, $100 from Collier Tynes, $100 from Sally Corley, $50 from Jessica Taylor, $1,000 from Reeves Farms, $50 from David Coppage, $500 from Green Agency, $300 from Driscoll Colquett, $100 from Sarah Case, $50 from Perry Green, $10 from Edrie J. Brunson, $100 from Allen D. Argenti, $100 from Rich Greene, $100 from Stephen Johnson, $200 from John Weatherford, $250 from APPIA LLC, $100 from Hudson Charles, $250 from Charles Singletary, $500 from Jacob Stephens, $200 from Mark Hunt, $250 from Michael and Kristine Berg, $100 from Billy and Richelle G. Jeffcoat, $50 from Jason Jones, $50 from Andy Gail Donaldson, $50 from Vicki Howell and $500 from Dr. Jonathan McNeal.

That brings Bunn’s total cash contributions to $29,285.

Starling has received most of his money from himself. He has received $250 from Ala-Ga Trailer Leasing, $500 from Robert Brown, $1,000 from Kenneth Cox and $250 from David Phelps plus nonitemized contributions. He has loaned himself a total of $17,600 over the course of his campaign.

He has gotten in-kind contributions of $153.50 from Steve Stubblefield, $1,024.52 from Mike Kreis and $650 from Jean’s Flowers.

He has given contributions of $1,926.08 to the Pike County Republican Party, $3 to Troy Bank and Trust, $49 to Postmaster, $803.46 to Printing Press, $5,368 to Marketing Services, $1,024.52 to Mike Kreis, $118.81 to Jean’s Flowers, $41.25 to Megan Starling, $41.25 to Ashley Ross, $20.95 to Wise Office Supply, $634.11 to the Troy Country Club, $3 to Troy Bank and Trust, $750 to Seniors Foundation, $15 to Emily Ross, $15 to Ashley Ross, $250 to PLAS, $100 to Troy United Women’s League, $300 to Oliver King, $106.04 to Emily Ross, $132.18 to Megan Starling, $35 to Megan Starling and $1,000 to Marketing Services.

The candidates have one more month left to advertise and get out the vote before the Republican primaries on Tuesday, June 5. The primary will serve as a de facto election for the office with no other challengers in the race. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.