Candidates running for three nonpartisan Grand Rapids offices have raised a total of nearly $160,000 ahead of the Nov. 3 election, as political action committees, business interests, and partisan affiliates open their war chests.
Campaign finance reports filed with Kent County show that between the comptroller and First Ward and Second Ward City Commission races, candidates raised a combined $159,941 and spent a total of $137,913.
Among the largest contributions were $24,000 from the Republican-aligned TGIF Victory Fund to incumbent Comptroller Max Frantz and $12,250 from a Grand Rapids Chamber-linked PAC to Second Ward candidate Bryan Cody. The Kent County Democratic Party also donated a combined $7,000 between comptroller candidate Dave Bulkowski and First Ward candidate Lindsey Perez-Plescher.
The campaign finance reports cover all campaign-related financial activity through Oct. 18, with additional late-contribution disclosures possible before Election Day. All three races will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Dave Bulkowski – Comptroller
Bulkowski, a former Kent County commissioner, reported $12,980 in total receipts and $12,320.72 in total expenditures.
He received his largest single contribution from the Kent County Democratic Party. The group gave him $3,750, accounting for nearly 29% of his receipts.
The Kent County Democratic Party’s 2026 voter guide formally endorses Bulkowski for comptroller of Grand Rapids. Bulkowski is endorsed by several current and former Democratic members of the Kent County Commission, including Melissa LaGrand, wife of David LaGrand.
Also backing him is Brandon Dillon, who formerly served as Michigan Democratic Party chair and was an elected Democrat.
Bulkowski received donations from several current and former elected officials, including former state Rep. Steve Pestka, who gave $300, and former Grand Rapids Commissioner Joe Jones and former Kent County Commissioner Tony Baker, who each contributed $250.
Max Frantz – Comptroller
Frantz reported $32,017.45 in receipts and $33,937.78 in expenditures, spending $1,920.33 more than his campaign received.
The TGIF Victory Fund, which historically supports Republicans, made Frantz’s largest single contribution of $20,000 on Aug. 24 and another $4,000 on Oct. 5. The group’s spending accounts for approximately 75% of Frantz’s receipts.
Frantz also received $2,450 from Daniel Hibma, founder of the TGIF Victory Fund and husband of former Republican Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land. Frantz contributed another $5,010.84 of his own money to the campaign.
His filing lists 11 contributions, compared to the 85 reported by Bulkowski.
The comptroller race comes amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by Frantz alleging city officials violated the City Charter by transferring staff and responsibilities from his elected office. The city has defended the restructuring.
Lindsey Perez-Plescher – First Ward
In the First Ward, Perez-Plescher reported raising $28,750 and spending $22,809.94. Her largest contributors included the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters PAC at $5,000, the Kent County Democratic Party at $3,250, and the Grand Rapids Firefighters Union PAC at $3,000.
Perez-Plescher was previously a finalist to be appointed to the commission’s First Ward vacancy before the city abandoned that process. Commissioners originally voiced concern about appointing Perez-Plescher to the interim position due to her decision to run for a full term in the seat in November.
Steve Tibbe – First Ward
Steve Tibbe reported $24,181.22 in receipts and $11,331.76 in expenditures.
Tibbe received $6,000 from the TGIF Victory Fund, $5,000 from the Grand Rapids police officers’ union, and $3,000 from the Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan.
Tibbe also received $2,500 from the Greater Regional Alliance of Realtors. His campaign reported $12,849.46 in remaining cash, compared with $5,940.06 for Perez-Plescher.
Bryan Cody – Second Ward
In the Second Ward, Bryan Cody reported the largest fundraising total of the six candidates, raising $48,419.31 and spending $46,726.31.
His largest contributor was Friends of West Michigan Business, the Grand Rapids Chamber’s political action committee, which gave $12,250, including $7,250 on Sept. 25. Cody also received $5,000 each from the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters PAC and the Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan.
Cody, a real estate professional, received additional contributions from individuals associated with the local real estate industry, including CWD Real Estate’s Sam Cummings, who gave $1,225.
Cody raised approximately 3.6 times as much as incumbent Second Ward Commissioner Lisa Knight and spent more than four times as much.
Lisa Knight – Second Ward
Knight reported $13,593.95 in receipts and $10,787.16 in expenditures.
The commissioner previously said she would not accept contributions or endorsements from partisan political action committees. This summer, she accused LaGrand of supporting Cody behind the scenes, a claim the mayor has not publicly confirmed.
Knight’s largest contributors included Tiffany Logan at $1,225, Kerry Verhulst at $1,030.26, Michael Verhulst at $1,025, and Tasha Blackmon at $1,015.38.
Her campaign reported 56 contributions and no in-kind contributions.
Mayoral Involvement
The fundraising comes amid repeated concerns about Mayor David LaGrand’s involvement in several nonpartisan city elections.
LaGrand and former Mayor Rosalynn Bliss each asked Bulkowski to enter the comptroller race, according to the candidate’s public statements. Second Ward Commissioner Lisa Knight has also claimed LaGrand is privately supporting her challenger Bryan Cody.
The filing also names LaGrand in connection with a $185 in-kind expenditure for event food.
The amount is reported as a campaign expenditure, not a contribution from the mayor.
LaGrand also publicly endorsed Lindsey Perez-Plescher in the First Ward race. An ActBlue invitation advertised an Oct. 1 fundraiser featuring the mayor, while Perez-Plescher’s October filing shows the event drew 26 people and raised $1,690.
A review of the six candidates’ October filings did not identify any direct monetary contributions from David LaGrand. His wife, Melissa LaGrand, separately contributed $100 to Bulkowski’s campaign.
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