Democrat Nicole Sidman’s campaign is vastly outraising that of her controversial Republican opponent, Rep. Tricia Cotham, in their high-profile N.C. House race.
Sidman, a congregational life director at Temple Beth El in Charlotte and the Democratic nominee for the southeast Mecklenburg County House District 105 seat, faces Cotham in November. From Feb. 18 to June 30, Sidman’s campaign raised $264,489.33 — more than four times as much as Cotham during the same period.
Sidman has raised $317,597.60 this election season, compared to $151,230.49 for Cotham. Contributors to Sidman’s campaign were largely individual donors, while most of Cotham’s money during the period came from political action committees.
The money raised by each campaign becomes more important as both try to reach voters before November’s election in a district that favors Republicans but may be winnable for Democrats.
A former Democrat, Cotham made national headlines when she switched to the Republican Party in 2023, giving Republicans a veto-proof supermajority and helping to pass new restrictions on abortion. Since Cotham announced her reelection, Democrats have been eager to fill the seat with a member of their own party.
Nicole Sidman fundraising
In March, Sidman won a three-person Democratic primary, with 57.3% of the vote.
Since mid-February, Sidman received 1,951 donations, with about 80% coming from people instead of political groups. Notable donors include Mecklenburg County Commissioner Laura Meier and Jordan Lopez, a Democrat running unopposed for state House District 112 in east Charlotte.
Sidman’s campaign manager Anna Fiore said she’s proud of the network of local volunteers and supporters they’ve built.
“We know that when people are willing to donate, they’re willing to vote,” Fiore said. “It’s a much higher ask, generally, to get people to donate to a campaign than to vote for it. And if we have this amount of support coming from individual contributions, we anticipate that will be reflected in our votes as well.”
Fiore added that many voters in the Charlotte area feel Cotham has undermined women’s rights and the democratic process.
Sidman’s largest donors, who’ve all given $6,400, include Salisbury billionaire Fred Stanback, Massachusetts venture capital firm founder Peter Kellner and Georgia resident Tobyann Sidman. The N.C. Democratic Party is helping to fund Sidman’s campaign, too.
Sidman spent money on advertisements, mailers and digital campaign marketing and software. She ended the reporting period with $230,899.92 left to spend the rest of the campaign.
Tricia Cotham campaign fundraising
With 34 contributions, Cotham raised $55,746.86 from Feb. 18 to June 30, according to her second quarter report. She’s raised $151,230.49 in total this election. About 57% of Cotham’s money raised this quarter came from political committee contributions.
Political committees that contributed to Cotham’s campaign this quarter include the NC Dental Society, NC Healthcare Facilities PAC, NC Hospital Association, Americans for Citizen Voting, Nexsen Pruet and the NC Pork Council.
Cotham also received donations from the campaign committees of GOP state Reps. Jake Johnson of western North Carolina; Celeste Cairns, who represents Carteret and Craven counties; Dennis Riddell of Alamance County; and Jeffrey C. McNeely of Iredell County. Her largest contributors include Charlotte entrepreneur Doug Turpin ($3,200), Florida-based businessman Edward Buckley ($5,000) and Illinois-based businessman Robert Willenborg ($6,000).
Just as Cotham raised far less, she also spent less than Sidman. Her latest report shows less than $1,500 in expenses — most of which were fees for WinRed, a Republican fundraising platform, and campaign envelopes.
Cotham ended this reporting period with $160,457.25 left to spent the rest of the election.
Cotham did not respond to requests to comment from The Charlotte Observer. Stephen Wiley, the House Republican Caucus director, also did not respond to a request for comment.
Sidman’s campaign momentum
As the November election gets closer, Fiore said she thinks momentum for Sidman’s campaign will “only get more intense from here.”
Earlier this year, The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, an organization that works to elect Democrats to state legislatures, named Sidman a “spotlight candidate.” Fiore said the campaign has “kicked into high gear” during the last few months.
“Typically that fundraising kicks in the last couple months before the election, that’s when it really goes into hyperdrive,” she said. “And we want to be prepared in advance of that so that we can spend what we need to to have a strong campaign throughout the entire cycle.”
Source Agencies
