Democrats crushing Republicans in fundraising for Tucson mayor & Council races

With simply three weeks to go earlier than the Nov. 7 election, Mayor Regina Romero and three Democrats in search of re-election to the Tucson Metropolis Council have far outstripped their challengers on the fundraising entrance.

The Democratic slate has raised greater than $525,000, whereas the 4 GOP candidates have raised lower than $59,000, in accordance with required marketing campaign finance reviews protecting exercise by means of Sept. 30.

Romero led the pack, elevating $120,681 in contributions and, as a result of she certified for public matching funds, receiving an extra $114,475 from town of Tucson, bringing her complete marketing campaign battle chest to $255,156. Romero reported having $89,786 within the financial institution on the shut of the reporting interval.

That dwarfs the $42,829 that Republican Janet “JL” Wittenbraker reported elevating, which features a mortgage of $25,739 from Wittenbraker herself. She reported paying herself again simply greater than $4,000. Wittenbraker’s submitting confirmed she had $17,089 left to spend on the shut of the reporting interval.

Wittenbraker, who has labored in quite a lot of administrative jobs within the Tucson space (together with a stint within the Tucson Metropolis Supervisor’s Workplace), is making her first run for public workplace. She declined to take part within the metropolis’s public funding program, which offers a dollar-for-dollar match of funds of particular person contributions offered candidates qualify by receiving no less than 300 contributions of $10 or extra from metropolis of Tucson residents. (Council members should increase a minimal of 200 contributions of $10 or extra from metropolis residents.) No particular person can contribute greater than $500 to a candidate’s committee throughout any marketing campaign interval. The campaigns can proceed to lift funds as much as, and even past, the election.

The entire Democratic candidates have certified for the matching funds program.

Unbiased candidate Ed Ackerley, a neighborhood advert man who captured 39 p.c of the vote towards Romero in 2019, had raised $27,614. Whereas he’s taking part within the matching funds program, he has not but certified for public funds by elevating sufficient particular person donations inside town limits. His report confirmed he had spent $20,083 on his marketing campaign. Former Republican Nationwide Committee member Bruce Ash and his spouse Jane every contributed $500, as did actual property dealer Dean Cotlow, whereas controversial ex-Inexperienced Occasion perennial candidate turned Libertarian precinct appointee David Croteau pitched in $10 to Ackerley.

Libertarian candidate Arthur Kerschen had raised zero {dollars} for his mayoral marketing campaign. Kerschen informed the Sentinel that he was encouraging individuals to donate to the Pima County Libertarian Occasion, which might then marketing campaign on his behalf.

The Libertarian Occasion reported elevating $3,812 between July 16 and Sept. 30. The get together had $5,850 within the financial institution earlier than the reporting interval began and spent $6,454 through the reporting interval, leaving it with $3,208.

Among the many incumbent mayor’s prime donors have been Omar Mireles of HSL Properties and his spouse Amy, with $500 every; $500 from Czarina Lopez, spouse of HSL honcho Humerto Lopez; $500 from native lawyer (and former Biden administration official) January Contreras; $500 from Loft Cinema head Peggy Johnson (who had one other $500 returned for being over the restrict); and $500 from Patricia Ritchie, spouse of Crest Insurance coverage proprietor Cody Ritchie, a Republican who created a stir by endorsing Romero’s first run for mayor 4 years in the past. The political motion committee for the AFSCME union of presidency employees contributed $1,000.

Romero’s benefit didn’t finish together with her personal fundraising. A number of unbiased marketing campaign committees have reported spending on her behalf.

Chispa AZ PAC reported spending $35,031 on radio and digital advertisements on Oct. 31, whereas LUCHA (Dwelling United for Change in Arizona) reported greater than $126,000 on varied marketing campaign efforts.

Wittenbraker pulled in a collection of $250 and $500 contributions, in accordance with her newest report, with lots of the donors itemizing themselves as “retired.” Amongst these indicating an lively occupation, a number of related to the DeLeon Portray firm contributed important quantities.

Democrats take pleasure in a major voter registration benefit in Tucson, the place all voters citywide can vote for the mayor and all Metropolis Council members. The town is dwelling to 127,132 Democrats (44%), 60,020 Republicans (21%), 2,362 Libertarians (lower than 1%),  and 1,471 No Labels Occasion members (lower than 1%), with the remaining 97,948 voters (33%) not registered with any of the 4 acknowledged events.

The final Republican mayor, Bob Walkup, left workplace in 2011. No Republican has received a Metropolis Council race since 2009, when Ward 6 Councilman Steve Kozachik received his seat. Kozachik switched to the Democratic Occasion throughout his first time period in workplace.

As within the mayor’s race, Democrats in search of reelection in Wards 1, 2, and 4 have a lopsided fundraising benefit over their Republican challengers, none of whom utilized for matching funds.

West Facet Ward 1 Councilmember Lane Santa Cruz had raised $73,600 in contributions and obtained $57,717 in public matching funds, giving the marketing campaign a complete of $141,317. Santa Cruz had $33,694 left to spend within the remaining stretch of the marketing campaign.

The vast majority of Santa Cruz’s contributions have been below $100, with many coming from individuals who work in training, political organizing or the nonprofit sector. Amongst her bigger contributions, she obtained $500 from Invoice Kelley of Diamond Ventures.

The Republican challenger, actual property agent Victoria Lem, didn’t file a marketing campaign finance report by Monday’s deadline however her final one, protecting exercise by means of July 22, confirmed she had raised $2,725. Lem didn’t reply to a request for remark about her late report, nor did she file a marketing campaign assertion on Tuesday, on-line information confirmed.

Northeast Facet Ward 2 Councilman Paul Cunningham had raised a complete of $51,750 and obtained an extra $35,110 in public matching funds. Out of that $86,860 battle chest, he had $9,8923 within the financial institution as of Sept. 30. Cunningham spent $71,442 on his marketing campaign earlier than July 16, as he confronted a major opponent funded by actual property pursuits. Between mid-July and the top of September, Cunningham spent simply $5,525.

Together with an array of native political and enterprise figures contributing $100-$500 every, the political committees for unions for Tucson firefighters, police and authorities employees every kicked in $1,000 to assist Cunningham’s marketing campaign. His prime contributors embrace Arizona hashish entrepreneurs Mohit Asnani ($500), Yuri Downing ($500) and David Basila ($500), ex-Pima Neighborhood School board member Demion Clinco ($500), Icehouse Loft developer and 2019 mayoral candidate Randi Dorman ($500), downtown developer Scott Stiteler ($500), and former Democratic Nationwide Committeeman and Arizona Democratic Occasion chair Invoice Roe ($500) and his spouse Alice Roe ($500).

Republican Ernie Shack, a political newcomer who’s difficult the Ward 2 incumbent, reported elevating $9,842, in accordance with a Sentinel assessment of his filings, which comprise quite a few errors. The newest report contains donations from condo and lodge proprietor Humberto Lopez and his spouse Czarina Lopez ($1,000), and a complete of $2,000 in 4 out-of-state contributions. Wittenbraker’s mayoral marketing campaign transferred $1,063. Shack had $4,814 available on the shut of the interval, in accordance with his reviews.

Shack’s most up-to-date submitting has a discrepancy of $750 between the entire raised and what’s detailed within the required disclosures. Whereas he reported spending $2,398, he didn’t embrace any particulars on his expenditures.

Libertarian Pendleton Spicer had raised $1,360 for her marketing campaign and had $410 in marketing campaign account on the shut of the reporting interval.

Southwest Facet Ward 4 Councilmember Nikki Lee had raised $23,568 for her marketing campaign and had obtained $18,478 in matching funds, giving her a complete battle chest of $42046. She had spent $26,373 on her marketing campaign and had $15,672 available on the finish of the reporting interval.

Together with particular person donations, Lee obtained $1,000 every in assist from the AFSCME authorities employees union PAC, and the committee related to the United Meals and Business Employees union.

Her Republican opponent, political newcomer Ross Kaplowitch, reported elevating $5,252 and spending $2,607.

Ballots have been despatched to all metropolis voters final week.