Mary Sheffield has a large fundraising advantage in the Detroit mayoral race, according to new campaign finance disclosures released a week before the Aug. 5 primary election. 

Sheffield collected the most in donations, spent the most and has the most cash left to spend as of July 20, according to disclosures reported by the Wayne County clerk. Polling has consistently shown likely voters favor Sheffield among the nine-candidate field. Sheffield would have a major financial advantage if she were one of the top two candidates who advance from next week’s primary.

Campaigns were required to report their fundraising activities by the end of the day Friday, July 24. The documents show donations collected and dollars spent between the start of the year and July 20. Candidates raised roughly $2.5 million combined, and roughly half of that ($1.3 million) went to Sheffield. 

Disclosures are publicly available for eight of nine candidates, including Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., former council president and nonprofit CEO Saunteel Jenkins, City Council Member Fred Durhal III, attorney Todd Perkins and businessmen Jonathan Barlow and Joel Haashiim. Disclosures weren’t available as of Monday morning for retired cosmetologist DaNetta Simpson.

The data shows there’s national attention on Detroit’s mayoral race. 

People who don’t live in the city, and therefore can’t vote, donated most of the money fueling campaigns so far. Non-residents are paying for the campaigns far more than residents.

The top three fundraisers (Sheffield, Kinnloch and Jenkins) raised a combined $1.46 million from non-residents, nearly three times the amount raised from Detroiters ($526,560).

Polls suggest Kinloch and Jenkins are battling for second place. Kinloch raised slightly more since launching his campaign and has more cash remaining to spend before the primary, while Jenkins’ campaign spent more. 

This report will focus on the top three candidates. BridgeDetroit will publish more reporting soon on fundraising by other candidates. 

Keep reading to learn more about who’s donating to Sheffield, Kinloch and Jenkins and other insights from the new round of campaign finance disclosures. The data includes all fundraising activity since the race started. 

MARY SHEFFIELD

The data shows Sheffield has a national fundraising profile. 

Sheffield donors can be found in Atlanta, New York, Chicago, Houston, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. The donor list includes business executives and famous actors like Samuel L. Jackson. 

Most of Sheffield’s donations came from outside Detroit. She raised $256,698 from donors who claim Detroit addresses and $811,691 from people who live outside the city.

Notable donors

Two Detroiters gave the maximum contribution of $8,325 — Amar Transport President Amardeep Deol and Redford Public Schools teacher Shangaleza Robinson.

Major Contracting Group President Michael Scappaticci and Vice President David Scappaticci each gave $8,325.

Louay Hussein, operations manager of municipal tow company J & T Crova, gave $8,235. 

Sheffield collected $132,615 from people who identified themselves as CEOs. Sheffield supporters also include a range of activists, bus drivers, line cooks, real estate developers, dentists, construction contractors, teachers, lawyers and other professions. 

The SEIU labor union is Sheffield’s top donor. Two organizations representing the union gave Sheffield $70,000 total. Sheffield’s donor list included a handful of other unions, plus $173,838 from political committees and business groups. 

The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters gave Sheffield $30,000. Rock Holdings PAC, a political committee named for Dan Gilbert’s company and partly funded by his family, gave Sheffield $23,000.

A political committee representing Deldin Law gave Sheffield $42,963. The Grosse Pointe law firm is owned by Marc Deldin, who also gave Sheffield $8,235. Another political committee representing the legal firm Miller Canfield gave $10,000. 

IBEW Local 58 gave Sheffield $5,000. The Chaldean Chamber PAC gave $5,000 while Teamsters Local 283 gave $1,500 and Plumbers Local 98 gave $500. The Detroit Police Lieutenants and Sergeants Association gave Sheffield $1,000.

Employees of DTE Energy gave Sheffield a combined $1,550.

Arn Tellem, vice president of the Detroit Pistons, gave $8,300. His wife Nancy, executive chairwoman of EKO, also gave $8,300. 

Earleatha Johnson, a philanthropist and wife of NBA legend Magic Johnson gave $8,000. Jackson, the “Snakes on a Plane” actor, gave Sheffield $5,000. Pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans gave $2,500. 

Detroit native Scott Perry, general manager for the Sacramento Kings, gave Sheffield $100. 

American Coney Island Owner Grace Keros gave Sheffield $600. Terry Payne Sr., owner of They Say Restaurant, gave $1,500. 

Several grocery store owners donated to Sheffield, including Vincent Nona of Parkway Foods, Robert Hesano of D+B Grocers, Jamal Abro of Mike’s Fresh Market, Robert Ayar of Grand Price Food, Sam Shina of Apollo Market and Latif Danyal of Liberty Food. 

Pastors supporting Sheffield include Charles Ellis II, Quentis Leverett, Ovella Davis, John Hearn, Denise Henderson, and Detroit NAACP President Wendell Anthony. 

Local officials who donated to Sheffield include Detroit state Rep. Tonya Myers-Phillips, 46th District Court Judge Judge Debra Nance, Macomb County Deputy Executive Andrew McKinnon and Wayne County Deputy Sheriff David Felton. 

Illinois state Rep. Kam Buckner gave $3,000. He was among several politicians who supported Sheffield, including Illinois state Reps. Nicholas Smith and Justin Slaughter, Cook County Clerk Monica Cordon, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Linda Sackey and Georgia state Sen. Sonya Halpern.

The campaign did not disclose how much it gathered from fundraisers. Sheffield’s campaign reported spending $1,200 on a photobooth and catering for a February fundraiser, $1,000 to reserve the Cambria Hotel for a March fundraiser and $1,000 to rent The Eastern for a June fundraiser. 

Sheffield had 796 donations that were $100 or less, while Kinloch had 614 small dollar donations and Jenkins had 388.

SOLOMON KINLOCH

The Triumph Church leader raised the second-most in donations since launching his campaign in February, pulling in funds from across the metro region and country. 

Like his opponents, Kinloch’s fundraising largely came from non-residents. Kinloch raised $106,378 from people with Detroit addresses and $309,871 from people who live outside the city. 

Notable donors

Fourteen donors gave the maximum amount of $8,325 to Kinloch’s campaign, including Indiana Pastor Jeffrey Johnson, Storehouse In A Box CEO Tamira Chapman, Chief Diversity Officer for the Detroit Regional Chamber Sherrie Lynn Farrell, three members of logistics company MCL Jasco and Kinloch’s wife Robin. 

Kinloch earned $20,150 from people who identified as CEOs, including Solutions for Energy Efficient Logistics Chairman Louis James and Horatio Williams, who leads the foundation that bears his name. The Horatio Williams Foundation hosted a March fundraiser for Kinloch. 

Lewis & Munday PAC, a political committee representing a historic Black-owned law firm, gave Kinloch $500. He received $1,000 from Comcast Corporation PAC. 

Employees of Triumph Church gave $17,675 to Kinloch’s campaign, including Chief Financial Officer Dora Brown and Pastor Ralph Godbee, an advisor for Kinloch and former Detroit chief of police. 

A few Michigan pastors are supporting Kinloch. Central Baptist Church Pastor Robert Bolden gave $6,550. Pure Word Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Samuel Stephens gave $250. 

Former mayoral runner-up Anthony Adams donated $7,030. The Skillman Foundation President Angelique Power gave Kinloch $1,500 but also gave Jenkins $500. Tonya Allen, executive of the McKnight Foundation in Minnesota, also gave $3,500. 

City Council President Pro Tem James Tate Jr. gave Kinloch $1,000. Detroit Wayne County Port Authority Executive Director Mark Schrupp gave $500. Detroit filmmaker Renika McQueen gave $250. 

Kinloch loaned his campaign $95,730. Kinloch reported collecting $57,100 from two fundraising events. 

SAUNTEEL JENKINS

Jenkins raised the third-most of the mayoral candidates. Many of her donations came from the Detroit metro area, though she also pulled in dollars from across the country. 

Jenkins raised $163,484 from Detroit addresses and $339,447 from people who live outside the city. Jenkins also loaned her campaign $71,500. 

Notable donors

Lewis & Munday PAC, which represents the historic Black-owned law firm, was the only political committee that gave to Jenkins. Donors who gave the maximum of $8,325 include Fairlane Construction President Rudah Saghir, J and T Nationwide Recovery Operations Manager Louay Hussein and Ann Nicholson. 

Jenkins raised $44,050 from people who identified themselves as CEOs. Donors include nurses, social workers, real estate developers, nonprofit leaders. 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan CEO Tricia Keith gave $3,500 and President Dan Loepp gave $1,000. BSCSM Foundation President Tiffany Albert gave $1,500. 

Employees of DTE Energy gave Jenkins $12,960. She received donations from DTE executives Joi Harris, Cedric Flowers, Rodney Cole, Mark Stiers, Steven Ambrose and others. 

Benjamin Kennedy, vice president of programs at The Kresge Foundation, was the top donor from Detroit with $8,300. Jenkins raised $22,550 from employees of The Kresge Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Ralph C Wilson Foundation and The Skillman Foundation. 

Attorney Jourmana Kayrouz, whose face can be seen on distinctive billboards that are ubiquitous across Detroit, gave Jenkins $1,000. 

Detroit Future City Executive Anika Goss gave Jenkins $500. Rock Vice President Trina Scott gave Jenkins $500. Claude Molinari, president of Visit Detroit, gave $250. 

Ford Motor Co. Board Member Cynthia Ford gave Jenkins $2,500. Ford Engagement Manager Bryan Barnhill gave $250. 

Henry Ford Health CFO Robin Damschroder gave $750. 

Jenkins reported raising $54,450 across four fundraising events held at Brix Wine Bar, London Chop House, The Congregation and the home of Andra Rush, CEO of The Rush Group. 

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story listed a campaign contribution from Anthony Cardamone. Though it was reported in official Wayne County records, Cardamone claims the disclosure is inaccurate. The reference was removed pending further clarification.