When retired NBC5 journalist Stewart Ledbetter was about three weeks into his fledgling campaign for the state Senate, he'd raised a respectable — but not unheard of — $10,000 from people outside his family. Then in early June, the Winooski Democrat saw his campaign coffers swell with donations from a surprising source: Republicans.

"All of a sudden I started getting $1,000 checks and $500 checks," Ledbetter, who is running for one of three seats in the Chittenden-Central district, told Seven Days. "I don't really know what to make of it."

The spigot opened after Ledbetter received calls from two prominent Republican donors: former Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Lisman, a retired Wall Street executive; and Jerry Tarrant, businessman and son of former Republican U.S. Senate candidate Richard Tarrant. The elder Tarrant made his fortune as a founder of IDX Systems, a South Burlington medical software company acquired by General Electric for $1.2 billion in 2005.

Following those calls, donations flowed from a collection of monied businesspeople mostly from Chittenden County, including several members of the Tarrant clan. They also included Al Gobeille, who served a three-year stint as Republican Gov. Phil Scott's secretary of human services, and Scott Milne, former GOP candidate for governor and the U.S. Senate. Also on the donor list: Mark Bove, one of Chittenden County's biggest landlords; Angelo Pizzagalli, a founder of PC Construction; and Ray and Jean Pecor, owners of the ferry company Lake Champlain Transportation.

Pretty soon, Ledbetter had raised more than any other candidate for the legislature, just over $48,000, according to recent campaign finance disclosures.

And Ledbetter isn't the only Democratic beneficiary of dollars from unexpected sources. Some Republican donors are spending big bucks this election cycle — not only on their own party's candidates but also to support several moderate Democrats. That's a concern for Democrats who say that, in some cases, candidates who may not be Democrats are running under the party's banner.

"There is real money being invested in deceiving Democrats," said Jim Dandeneau, the party's executive director.

Paul Dame, chair of the VTGOP, said he'd rather see Republican money supporting Republican candidates. Rep. Scott Beck (R-St. Johnsbury), who is running for Senate in the Caledonia district, has pulled in nearly $36,000, including from many of the same Chittenden County businesspeople who have backed Ledbetter.

But in some cases, Republican donors are backing centrist Democrats willing to work with Gov. Scott instead of against him, Dame said. "I understand some of the people who are getting involved are looking for the least worst option in some cases," he said.

Elizabeth Brown is positioning herself as such an option in Waterbury, running in the Democratic primary against two incumbent state representatives, despite her lack of previous involvement in Democratic politics. A banker-turned-financial consultant, Brown said it only makes sense for Republican donors to turn to Democratic candidates who care about the cost of living and understand financial accountability.

"Here's the reality," Brown told Seven Days. "The Republican Party here is weak. There is no bench strength here. So, if there are people who are historically Republican or more conservative and they are looking to bring along moderate voices, well, I was appealing."

Brown has vastly out-fundraised the two incumbents, Rep. Theresa Wood (D-Waterbury) and Rep. Tom Stevens (D-Waterbury). Wood had raised $650 and Stevens had raised nothing as of July 1. Brown's lawn signs are all over Waterbury.

Brown's donors include Lisman, who lives in Shelburne, as well as Bill Bissonette, owner of a large Burlington property management firm. He is a director of the Bank of Burlington, as are Lisman and Jerry Tarrant.

Brown's previous lack of engagement with the Democratic Party and rhetorical alignment with Scott's criticism of lawmakers has raised questions about her Democratic bona fides.

"When you have a candidate in a Democratic primary who is receiving funds primarily from Republican donors, I think it's a fair question to ask — are they a Democrat? Have they read the Democratic platform?" Stevens said.

Brown's platform emphasizes the importance of keeping Vermont affordable. While she hasn't been involved in politics until now, she said she is a fiscally conservative Democrat.

"It scares me that our working class is being driven out of our state," she told Seven Days.

Scott has slammed Democratic lawmakers both for failing to do more to prevent property taxes from soaring nearly 14 percent this year and for raising other taxes such as those to support the childcare system. Democrats say Scott's ideas for how to reduce this year's property tax increase — such as canceling universal school meals — would have hurt Vermont.

According to Dame, some Republican donors are worried about the combination of the Democrats' legislative supermajority and the recent loss of several of the party's fiscally conservative voices in the state Senate.

The deaths of senators Dick Sears of the Bennington district and Dick Mazza of the Grand Isle district, as well as the retirements of Sen. Jane Kitchel of Caledonia and Sen. Bobby Starr of Orleans — Democrats, all — have left "a big hole" in the chamber, Dame said.

"There's people who want a return to moderation," Dame said.

Republican cash is also filling the coffers of Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Thomas Renner. The Winooski city councilman — who has worked for two Democrats, U.S. Rep. Becca Balint and retired U.S. senator Patrick Leahy — reported receiving $15,000 from members of the Tarrant family.

Richard Tarrant ran unsuccessfully against Bernie Sanders for an open U.S. Senate seat in 2005, attacking his opponent during an expensive, negative campaign. Renner's opponent in the Democratic primary, incumbent Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman, noted that the Tarrant family donations make up more than a third of Renner's total haul.

"Why would he accept money from them, and why would those people give money to him?" Zuckerman asked.

Renner declined to discuss the donations. Instead, he issued a statement declaring himself a "proud progressive Democrat" who supports Medicare for all, affordable housing, a woman's right to choose and union labor.

The statement described Renner as "overwhelmed" by the financial support, which he said showed people were "ready for change" and for someone who was "not a career politician."

"I am running to be a voice for regular Vermonters, and if people hear what I am about and want to support me, then I welcome the support," he wrote.

None of the donors who gave to Renner are supporting the candidates seeking the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, John Rodgers and Greg Thayer.

David Kelley of Greensboro is another House candidate running as a Democrat who received money from Lisman and Jerry Tarrant. Kelley ran for governor as a Republican in 1994, losing to Democrat Howard Dean. He said he has drifted away from the Vermont Republican Party, which he noted recently waived its bylaws to support Donald Trump for president despite his felony convictions. Kelley said he's been friends with Lisman for years. He's running against Leanne Harple of Glover.

Sen. Martine Gulick (D-Chittenden Central) said she is "very concerned" about Ledbetter's campaign and its backers. In a district with three sitting senators — the other two are Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth (D/P) and Tanya Vyhovsky (P/D) — Gulick won the Democratic nomination by only four votes in 2022, so she knows that she's vulnerable to a well-funded challenger. She said Ledbetter's donations are fair game for criticism.

"I question whether our party will be able to support our priorities when we have candidates whose alliances are questionable," Gulick said.

Gulick, Baruth and Vyhovsky are running as a slate, so they'll be able to save some campaign expenses, she noted.

Ledbetter said he presumes the prominent Republican donors and businesspeople supporting him want some new voices in the Senate. He described himself as a mainstream Democrat and a "straight shooter" who is "not the furthest to the left" in the race.

"The folks who gave me money may be disappointed in some of the votes I'll cast," Ledbetter said. "But I guess their point is they'd like some new folks in the Senate and they're willing to take a chance."