https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2014-07-16/the-road-to-10-1-fundraising-highlights/

The Road to 10-1: Fundraising Highlights

By Michael King, July 16, 2014, 12:33pm, Newsdesk

As widely reported, the Big Kahuna in the initial City Council campaign money race (from campaign treasurer filings as of June 30) is novice mayoral candidate Steve Adler, who garnered $366,192 in contributions and had $289,896 in cash on hand. His major opponents, Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole and Council Member Mike Martinez, were not so flush.

Cole raised $93,870 and held $79,674 as of June 30; Martinez raised $162,207 and held $122,725 (all figures rounded). Adler’s campaign team has trumpeted his fundraising (from more than 1,400 donors) as setting a new overall total record in citywide mayoral campaigns – and he did it in the just the first fundraising period. That’s not the whole story; he also lent his campaign $194,000, and has already spent $268,282 – a “burn rate” that dwarfs his opponents’ income and has campaign veterans wide-eyed. Adler’s campaign says the spending is necessary to run adequately against better-known incumbents.

By comparison, Cole has spent $6,763 and Martinez $54,251. Two other declared candidates – Todd Phelps and Randall Stephens – have raised and spent nominal amounts, and the sixth, Nicholas Lucier, reports he will not raise nor spend any money in his campaign.

A few more fundraising highlights from City Council district races, reflecting the early leaders as of June 30:

District 1: Of six candidates, Ora Houston raised $29,173 and DeWayne Lofton $11,215, but have similar amounts on hand, Lofton has $10,100 in loans.

District 2: In a two-candidate race (thus far), Delia Garza raised $15,275 and Edward Reyes $1,002.

District 3: In now a nine-candidate race (including just-filed Frank Guajardo), Susana Almanza raised $11,170 and Fred McGhee raised $1,405 and added $12,500 in loans; Shaun Ireland and Mario Cantu are in four figures.

District 4: Current money leaders (among 11 candidates) are Greg Casar ($40,057), Katrina Daniel and Laura Pressley roughly tied at $30,000 raised, and Marco Mancillas at $10,000.

District 5: Among five candidates, Ann Kitchen raised $42,068 and added $20,700 in loans, and also spent early ($22,786 cash-on-hand); her nearest competitor is Dan Buda, with $14,854 in contributions and loans ($12,123 COH).

District 6: Of four candidates, Jimmy Flannigan ($22,930), Pete Phillips Jr. ($20,466), and Jay Wiley ($22,605) had all raised similar amounts, but Wiley added $11,025 in loans and began campaigning much earlier, and has thus far outstripped the others in spending.

District 7: Among seven candidates, Jimmy Paver had $18,582 in contributions and $40,000 in loans ($40,535 COH); Jeb Boyt had raised $20,339 and had the same amount on hand; Ed English had $10,596 on hand ($3,245 contributions, $10,000 loans).

District 8: Of the five candidates, Becky Bray was the early cash leader with $58,270 COH (but $50,000 of that is in loans); Darrell Pierce had raised $36,618 ($2,500 in loans) and had $25,692 COH.

District 9: Of three candidates, incumbent Council Member Chris Riley raised $96,851 and held $64,744; CM Kathie Tovo raised $41,332 and retained $30,797 (some of that in outstanding loans).

District 10: Of eight candidates, Robert Thomas ($52,279), Mandy Dealey ($50,295) and Sheri Gallo ($45,158) led in contributions, with most of the others in the $10,000 range; but Thomas added a $100,000 loan.

For a News staff overview of all the campaigns, and more detail on the fundraising, see this week’s print edition, and follow the Chronicle's Election page.