Holland Pastor running for Congress releases unexpected fundraising quarter on the heels of Congressional Ethics Committee review of Bill Huizenga’s Campaign Spending



HOLLAND, MI — In the first quarter of his campaign for Congress in Michigan’s Second District, Rev. Bryan Berghoef made history. He raised more money than any Democrat in their first quarter has previously raised in the district. His campaign raised more than double the previous mark, pulling in over $130,000 with nearly a thousand individual donors contributing to the Holland pastor’s campaign.

Berghoef’s fundraising received an unexpected late boost on Monday, as a story broke that the House Ethics Committee is looking into a complaint around Bill Huizenga’s compliance with Federal Election Commision regulations on campaign spending. On the heels of this breaking story about his opponent, the Berghoef campaign had its largest fundraising day of the entire quarter, raising more than $10,000 with nearly 150 individual donations on Monday.

“The success of our first quarter fundraising shows that we are building a movement of people in West Michigan who believe in representation that reflects their voices and their values,” claims Berghoef. “I’ve talked to many voters across the district who feel that Bill Huizenga’s voting record supports the interests of special interest groups, wealthy donors, and the large banks that help finance his campaign. People in the Second District are ready for a candidate who is working for them, who promises to listen to their concerns and ideas, and who demonstrates responsible and prudent spending.”

Politico and other news outlets reported on Monday that the House Ethics Committee is reviewing allegations that the Representative has misused campaign funds for personal gain, which is a violation of FEC regulations. The FEC reviewed the complaint with the Republicans voting along party lines, deadlocking 2-2, as to whether the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 was violated.

“The news that my opponent has used campaign money for living a lavish lifestyle further shows how out of touch he is with his regular, hard-working constituents, who cannot imagine spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on golf, hotels, and expensive dinners. When people invest in our campaign, they can expect a candidate who uses each dollar wisely and lawfully.” Candidate campaign spending and reimbursements are public information.

This is Berghoef’s first run for political office, and it comes in a district that has long had Republican representation but saw significant gains by a Democrat in 2018.