Brewer out-raising Moss in House race

ROCKINGHAM — The most recent financial disclosure reports in the race for House District 66 show Democrat Scott Brewer with $38,052 more cash on hand than his opponent, Republican Ben Moss, through mid-July.

Brewer, a retired Chief District Court Judge, is the incumbent in the race following his appointment to the seat last year. Moss is currently serving as a Richmond County commissioner.

Total for this election cycle, Brewer has $40,667.42 in cash on hand, while Moss has $2,614.91. Brewer has received a total of $37,726.34 in contributions from individuals, compared to Moss’ $11,595.34 in individual contributions as of July 10. Moss has spent more in operating expenditures than Brewer, with $9,312.43 for Moss compared to $4,222.44 for Brewer total this cycle.

Both candidates have some big names among their contributors. For Brewer, the largest individual contribution was $5,400 from Weston Milliken, a Los Angeles consultant. Former Rockingham Mayor and current member of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina Gene McLaurin contributed $1,000, as did attorneys William Webb Jr. of Rockingham, Charles Brown of Albemarle and Brandi Bullock of Laurinburg.

Rockingham City Manager Monty Crump also contributed $500 to Brewer’s campaign.

For Moss, the largest individual contribution was $4,705.34 from Mountaire Farms CEO Ronald Cameron of Little Rock, Arkansas.

In December, Moss was hit with a $500 fine — the maximum — for failing to submit his 2019 Mid Year Semi-Annual Report on time. Non-statewide candidates are fined $50 for each day the report is late, but this fine cannot exceed $500. Moss was given 20 days to pay this fine on Nov. 18, 2019, or else his campaign would’ve been unable to receive or make contributions until the fine was paid.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections received his payment of the $500 on Dec. 6, 2019.

Moss said in an interview Friday that he did not dispute the fine, attributing the missed deadline to an “honest mistake” by his campaign’s former secretary. He added that he was under the impression that his campaign had filed the report on time. The form to be submitted only served to indicate that Moss’ campaign had not received or spent any money as of June 30, 2019.

“It was an honest mistake (by the secretary) but at the end of the day it’s my committee and I should be checking behind them,” Moss said.

Moss has since become his own secretary for his campaign, and he has also added a CPA to his team.