With early voting underway and the Knox County primary election set for May 5, 2026, candidates have filed their latest campaign financial disclosures. These reports (covering activity through late April 1-25, reveal who is raising money effectively, who is spending aggressively, and who enters the final stretch with the strongest “war chest.”
Here’s a breakdown by race, using the most recent figures provided:
Knox County Clerk (Open Seat – Republican Primary)
• Richie Beeler: previous report $19,055.84 | Spent $3,257.50 | Cash on hand: $15,517.52 (with $6,796.82 remaining after spending? — note: figures suggest possible cumulative totals)
• John Duncan
• Rodney Lane: previous report $3,997.38 | received $1,700 | Spent $450.11 | Cash on hand: $5,247.27
• John Whitehead: previous report $16,993.17 | Received $1,200 | Spent $15,153.35 | Cash on hand: $2,949.82 + $30,000 personal loan
This race features several candidates with prior government experience. Finance activity remains relatively modest compared to higher-profile contests.
County Commission At Large 10
• Justin Cofer: previous report $4,855.41 | Received $2,627.54 | Spent $4,015.01 | Cash on hand: $3,467.94
• Kimberly Glenn
• Ronnie Rochelle: previous report $2,959.84 | Received $1,100 | Spent $918.64 | Cash on hand: $3,141.15
• Independent Ronin Cunningham (no detailed figures provided)
• Democrat Katina Sharp: previous report $7,316.81 | Received $5,130 | Spent $1,337.73 | Cash on hand: $11,019.58
Katina Sharp currently shows the strongest cash position in this at-large seat.
County Commission At Large 11
• Garrett Holt: previous report $15,737.58 | Received $17,950 | Spent $30,928.76 | Cash on hand: $2,748.82
• Liz Tombras (no detailed figures)
• Democrat Vivian Underwood Shipe: previous report $1,518.58 | Received $584.28 | Spent $2,100.03 | Cash on hand: $2.83
Garrett Holt has been the most active spender here, which has reduced his on-hand balance.
County Commission Third District
• Gina Oster: previous report $35,325.76 | Received $4,448.91 | Spent $20,903.21 | Cash on hand: $18,871.46 (noted: Mayor Jacobs’ Big Red PAC contributed $3,350)
• Sheri Super-Niezgoda: previous report $5,469.36 | Received $1,094.69 | Spent $4,335.96 | Cash on hand: $2,228.59
• Democrat Brandon Huckaby: previous report $7,049.72 | Received $5,302 | Spent $3,782.19 | Cash on hand: $8,569.03
Gina Oster leads significantly in both total receipts and cash on hand in this district race.
County Commission Seventh District
• Barry Beeler: previous report $6,276.40 | Received $1,798.86 | Spent $6,131.70 | Cash on hand: $1,943.50
• Buddy Burkhardt: previous report $2,676.88 | Received $1,300 | Spent $2,568.44 | Cash on hand: $1,408.44
• Justin Mash: previous report $14,693.84 | Received $1,001.15 | Spent $8,577.20 | Cash on hand: $7,117.58
• Democrat William Cooper: previous report $398 | Received $339.39 | Spent $640.48 | Cash on hand: $96.91
Justin Mash shows the strongest fundraising and cash position among Republicans in this district.
County Mayor (High-Profile Republican Primary + Democrat)
• Kim Frazier: previous report $48,052.13 | Received $12,725.40 | Spent $35,068.06 | Cash on hand: $26,609.47
• Betsy Henderson: previous report $86,258.59 | Received $30,000 | Spent $89,544.52 | Cash on hand: $26,714.07
• Larsen Jay: previous report $253,814 | Received $164,449 | Spent $198,640.82 | Cash on hand: $219,627.68
• Democrat Beau Hawk: previous report $15,211.22 | Received $19,006 | Spent $14,484.98 | Cash on hand: $19,812.24
Larsen Jay dominates this race financially, with over $219,000 on hand and the highest receipts and spending. The two other Republican contenders each hold similar cash positions around $26,000–$27,000 heading into the final days. This contest has seen the heaviest overall spending of any local race.
County Trustee
• Republican Incumbent Trustee Justin Biggs: previous report $108,873.59 | Received $600 | Spent $18,016 | Cash on hand: $91,457.59
• Barry Hawkins: previous report $1,591.94 | Received $100 | Spent $886.86 | Cash on hand: $805.13
• N. McBride: previous report $36,334.74 | Received $8,300 | Spent $37,822.12 | Cash on hand: $6,812.62
• Democrat Stephen Hood: previous report $4,445.46 | Received $2,222 | Spent $2,270.14 | Cash on hand: $4,397.32
Incumbent Justin Biggs maintains a massive cash advantage.
Other Notable Races
• Criminal Court Clerk Michael Hammond: previous report $6,834.13 | Received $0 | Spent $2,941.32 | Cash on hand: $3,897.81
• General Sessions Judge Div. IV
• Judge Andrea Kline: previous report $35,487.33 | Received $10,760 | Spent $23,110.77 | Cash on hand: $23,136.56
• Rhonda Lee: previous report $13,879.50 | Received $4,691.98 | Spent $16,238.50 | Cash on hand: $2,337.98
• Democrat Ben Houston: previous report $2,308.43 | Received $1,320 | Spent $772.51 | Cash on hand: $2,855.92
• Register of Deeds Sherry Witt: previous report $36,174.05 | Received $500 | Spent $1,260 | Cash on hand: $35,415
Knox School Board (Selected Districts)
• First District: Dr. John Butler leads with $910.24 on hand.
• Fourth District: Katherine Bike ($18,051.46 on hand) and Republican Ashley Sartelle ($19,797.61 on hand) both show strong positions.
• Sixth District: Lee Ann Eaves has $5,403.85 on hand.
• Ninth District: Kristi Kristy and Bill Sofield remain competitive.
Knox County Sheriff (Republican Primary – No Democratic Opposition)
• David Amburn: previous report $7,695.52 | Received $91,985 | Spent $73,991.55 | Cash on hand: $25,668.97
• Mike Davis: previous report $55,007.98 | Received $7,350 | Spent $28,406 | Cash on hand: $33,951.96
• Brent Gibson: previous report $43,468.49 | Received $17,625 | Spent $40,809 | Cash on hand: $30,289
• J.J. Jones: previous report $42,795 | Received $9,800 | Spent $40,340 | Cash on hand: $12,254.06
All four candidates have raised and spent substantially, with Mike Davis holding a slight edge in cash on hand.
Key Takeaways
• Larsen Jay stands out as the clear financial leader in the marquee County Mayor race.
• Several incumbents or established figures (like Justin Biggs for Trustee and Gina Oster) maintain healthy cash reserves.
• Personal loans appear in multiple campaigns (notably John Whitehead’s $30,000 loan), which is common when candidates self-fund to stay competitive.
• Many lower-profile races show modest fundraising, typical for local commission and school board seats.
Campaign finance is just one piece of the puzzle—name recognition, endorsements, voter turnout, and issues will ultimately decide these races. With the primary only days away, these numbers give a snapshot of momentum heading into Election Day
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What stands out to you in these disclosures? Drop a comment below if you’d like a deeper dive into a specific race.
