Brooks Widens Lead in Gwinnett BOC Fund-Raising

Even as they campaign for office and advance voting is under way, Jace Brooks and Laurie McClain continue to raise funds in their effort to be elected to the Gwinnett Board of Commissioners.

The latest campaign reports filed in state records show that Brooks, a former Suwanee City Council member, has taken a fund-raising lead of almost 3-to-1 over McClain, a Duluth resident whose accounting firm is based in Suwanee.

Both Republicans, they are seeking the vacant District 1 seat, which represents Suwanee and Duluth, in the July 31 GOP Primary. The post was formerly held by Shirley Lasseter, who resigned.

Brooks reports about $35,400 in cash contributions, McClain lists about $11,900.

Brooks also has outspent McClain by a wide margin in cash on campaign efforts -- $19,600 to $10,700.

In Brooks' latest disclosure, listed contributions include:

• Brand Properties, $2,500
• Gwinnett businessman Marvin Hewatt, $2,500
• Bartow Morgan, CEO of Brand Banking, $2,500
• The Norcross law firm of Thompson, O'Brien, Kemp and Nasuti (which includes former Gwinnett commissioner Bert Nasuti), $1,000.

McClain's contributors include:

• Karen Hill of Braselton, $1,000
• Sidney Theus of Duluth, $1,000

No current member of the Gwinnett BOC has contributed to either campaign.