Jones tops $100K, likely candidate for Speaker

Candidates for the 2018 Covington County Sheriff election have raised more than $31,000 for their campaigns, including personal loans, according to campaign finance reports on file with the Alabama Secretary of State.

Incumbent Sheriff Dennis Meeks has raised $10,350 in the current election cycle. His largest contribution, $5,000 came from Soles Management Group of Andalusia in January. He also has received $1,000 contributions from Palmer and Sons Collision Center and LBB, LLC of Opp. He received $500 contributions from J.H. Tillman, Filltration Manufacturing, Gary Smith, Horace Horn and Seth Hammett.

Meeks has spent $9,435 on his campaign.

Challenger Blake Turman has showed deposits totaling $10,750 for his campaign, including $4,000 shown as a personal contribution, and $4,000 listed as “fundraiser.” His largest individual contributions were from $700 from Ryan Palmer; and $500 each from Paul Wiggins and Don Bullard.

Turman’s campaign has spent almost $15,300 dollars.

Nickey Carnley has collected $10,534 for his campaign, most of which is shown as personal contributions. He has received $2,450 from individuals, including $1,000 from Lloyd Mattair Jr. of Pensacola, and $500 each from H.D. Edgar and Don Harrell.

Carnley’s campaign has spent $8,815.

Rep. Mike Jones, who represents Covington County in the Alabama House of Representatives, has receiving $102,256 in contributions this election cycle.

Jones, who is unopposed, is chairman of the House Rules Committee, and is expected to be a candidate for Speaker of the House in the next quadrennium. Legislators in leadership roles traditionally have raised campaign funds to help other candidates win elections.

Jones has received $5,000 each from FAXPAC, ALAPAC Alabama Medical Pac, EDPAC, Automobile Dealers Association of Alabama, Alabama Retail PAC, Alabama Builders PAC, and Forestry PAC.

He received contributions of $2,500 from FARMPAC, LEGPAC, Franklin Resources Group, Alabama Trucking PAC, and Alabama Grocers Association PAC.

He received contributions of $2,000 from Alabama Beverage Association PAC, ABC Merit PAC, Alabama Poultry Trust, the GEO Group Inc, and Cunningham Bounds LLC.