Sugar Maple PAC, which has strong ties to the governor, has been pouring on big political dollars, raising a total of $1,265,500 to spend in House and Senate districts.
West Virginia’s primary is May 12, although early voting has begun.
The sugar maple is renowned for its brilliant fall colors, sap with high sugar content and the quality of its dense wood.
In West Virginia politics, the Sugar Maple PAC had raised a little more than a half million dollars, $565,000, in the first quarter period of Jan. 1 to March 31.
Then the political action committee poured it on during the primary period from April 1 to April 26, raising $700,500.
The PAC has spent a total of $972,299.50 year−to−date, with the vast majority of that spending, $889,566.00, occurring in April.
Much of Sugar Maple’s spending was directed toward opposing incumbent Republican senators Vince Deeds of Greenbrier County with $98,256.50 directed against him and Tom Takubo of Kanawha County with $72,972.00 in opposition spending.
The PAC also spent heavily against Senate challengers Michael Jarrouj of Kanawha County at $55,692.66 and Joe Eddy of Ohio County with $53,436.12.
The PAC provided its highest level of financial support to incumbent Senator Kevan Bartlett, running in a three-way primary, with $82,036.00. It has supported incumbent senators Laura Wakim Chapman of Ohio County, Eddy’s primary opponent, with $38,266.88 and Anne Charnock of Kanawha, running against Jarrouj, with $32,385.34.
The PAC’s financial support is driven by several high-dollar contributors, a backyard brawl of political spending.
Several big-time donors have a particular interest in promoting “school choice” policies like charter schools and education vouchers.
The richest person in Pennsylvania, SIG trading firm managing director Jeff Yass, $450,000 total ($100,000 by the 1st quarter reporting deadline and then $350,000 in April). Yass is a prominent megadonor to Republican and libertarian causes, mainly focused on the issue of school choice.
Hedge fund manager Thomas Klingenstein of New York City, chairman of the board of trustees of the Claremont Institute, a conservative think tank, contributed $350,000 total ($100,000 in Q1; $250,000 in April).
Texas hedge fund billionaire Brett Hendrickson contributed $65,000.
Another hedge fund manager, Sean Fieler of Stamford, Conn., contributed $50,000. He’s a regular political donor known for his backing of religious and conservative causes.
In addition to the prominent individuals, the yes. every. kid. contributed $100,000. That’s an organization dedicated to transforming K-12 education in America through a “family-first” approach.
The Sugar Maple PAC has a confluence of connections with Gov. Patrick Morrisey, a Republican who has been active to endorse some legislative primary candidates while vocally opposing others.
Sugar Maple’s treasurer is Charles Gantt, who is also treasurer for two additional arms of Morrisey’s political operations, Black Bear PAC and West Virginia Prosperity Group. He also served as treasurer of 35th Inc., a super PAC that spent millions of dollars as Morrisey was running for U.S. Senate in 2018.
Matchstick Media, where co-founder D.J. Eckert was a past executive director for Morrisey’s 35th Inc., received multiple large payments for broadcast advertising, including individual disbursements of $257,400, $73,066, and $72,566.
The governor and first lady Denise Morrisey spent an active weekend of campaigning.
The first lady was in Greenbrier County, where she posted images supporting Senate candidate Jonathan Comer, a local pastor who is opposing the incumbent Deeds.
“He is the true conservative running in this race. He will not vote for boys in girls locker rooms or transgender drugs for our children!” Denise Morrisey posted of Comer, who has received $24,709.50 in support from Sugar Maple.
The governor was in the Parkersburg area. He has been campaigning in opposition to House Finance Chairman Vernon Criss and Delegate Scott Heckert, both Republicans from Wood County.
Morrisey, in a social media video, touted the candidacy of Charles Hartzog, a House of Delegates challenger to Criss. “I believe Vernon Criss is outside the mainstream on several key issues,” Morrisey posted.
Sugar Maple has spent $15,678.66 against Criss and $8,549.34 for Hartzog.
And he touted Melissa McCrady, the challenger to Heckert. “She’s the clear, conservative choice,” Morrisey posted of McCrady.
Sugar Maple has spent $17,771.16 against Heckert and $9,804.84 for McCrady.
“We need legislators who want to lift up our standard of living, advance educational attainment, and maintain our WV values,” Morrisey posted online.