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PARKERSBURG – A local candidate for an unexpired term in the West Virginia Senate has raised nearly $59,000, mostly from his own contributions to the campaign, according to the first primary financial disclosures filed with the Secretary of State.
Gregory K. Smith, the former president of Mountain State Blue Cross Blue Shield, now Highmark, and a former state delegate, has raised $58,652, of which $50,000 was from him, disclosed in the campaign finance report that was due on Friday. He reported expenditures of $25,432.
Smith said the $50,000 to the campaign illustrates his commitment to the race.
Smith is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for the unexpired term in the 3rd Senatorial District. Running for the Republican nomination for the unexpired term are Mike Azinger of Vienna and Sam Winans of Parkersburg.
Smith pointed out there’s about a half dozen Greg Smiths in the area, including Greg Smith with the Republican Party and Greg Smith formerly of Camden Clark Medical Center.
“A lot of that expenditure is to tell who is running,” he said.
The election for the unexpired term was caused when Dave Nohe resigned last year to go to work for the state Parole Board. The governor appointed Bob Ashley, who was a member of the House of Delegates, to the vacancy pending the election for the unexpired term.
Ashley is running for the full-term commencing in January.
Because there’s no opposition in the Democratic primary election, which is May 10, the amount reported before the primary will help finance the campaign for the next six to seven months until the general election in November, Smith said. The 3rd District covers a large geographic area of Wood, Pleasants, Wirt and half of Roane County.
He listed numerous contributors of $500 and $1,000, including Allan Hawkins of Vienna, Michael Murphy of Vienna, Michael Deem of Vienna, John Thomas of Vienna, the West Virginia Appalachian Laborers’ District Council of Charleston, Denny Harton of Vienna, the Building and Trades Council of Charleston and James Hayhurst of Vienna.
Winans reported contributions of $23,975. He listed contributions of $300 to $1,000 from David Winans of Little Hocking, Joseph Winans of Parkersburg, James Winans of Parkersburg, Richard Winans of Parkersburg, Harry Deitzler of Vienna, Zachary Jones of Vienna, Mary Welch of Parkersburg, Denny Harton of Vienna, Wayne Novak of Parkersburg, Beth Ullman of Williamstown, Robert Astorg of Vienna, Eric Fitzer of Vienna, Les Pritchard of Vienna, Mary Manzo of Vienna, Paula McHenry of Vienna, Laurie P. Hushion of Vienna, Seyoum Bage of Vienna, Adam Kaplan of Parkersburg, Kim Kaplan of Parkersburg, Angela Tadlock of Parkersburg, Joe Campbell of Parkersburg and Richard Adams of Parkersburg.
He also reported more than 50 contributions of $250 or less.
A financial disclosure from Azinger had yet to be recorded as of 4 p.m. Monday.
In the race for the full term in the 3rd District are Ashley, Republican John Riggs of St. Marys, Republican incumbent Donna Boley of St. Marys and Democrat Brad Vanzile of Washington, W.Va.
Ashley reported a beginning balance of $15,250 from his campaign when he was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and contributions of $8,700. He reported expenditures of $1,472.
He listed expenditures of $500 to $1,000 from Thomas F. Hardman of Spencer, J.T. Thomas of Vienna, American Electric Power, Highmark PAC of Charleston, Angela R. Moore of Charleston, West Virginia Hospital Association Political Action Committee of Charleston and Jebediah N. Corey of Charleston. Ashley reported about 20 contributions of $300 or less.
Riggs reported contributions of $20,000, which he made to himself.
Boley reported $4,800 in contributions and $389 in expenditures. She reported two $500 donations from DuPont, $500 from Erie Insurance and an unidentifiable entity and $1,000 from AEP and First Energy.
Vanzile reported contributions of $2,265 and expenditures of $953. He reported $1,000 contributions from the West Virginia Appalachian Laborers of Charleston and the Parkersburg Marietta Building Trades of Parkersburg.