News
It's Filing Day!
Today's the deadline for filing to run for office in local campaigns, and it's also the deadline for candidates to submit their campaign finance reports to the city's ethics and elections commission.
No last-minute surprise filings a la Jean Godden 2003 (although Tom Rasmussen did get a second opponent, a guy named Dale Pusey), so let's go straight to the numbers.
In position 1, Godden (the incumbent) has raised a total of $149,277, and has $78,502 on hand. Her opponent Maurice Classen has raised the most overall, $86,424, and has $54,809 on hand. Next in fundraising is Bobby Forch, who's raised $34,863, and has $9,862 on hand. And finally, Michael Taylor-Judd has raised $12,582, and is $5,432 in the red.
In position 3, challenger Brad Meacham has raised $37,393, and has $21,366 on hand. The incumbent, Bruce Harrell, hasn't filed his reports yet (he's the only candidate who hasn't done so).
In position 5, incumbent Tom Rasmussen---topping out all candidates in every race for the total raised---has pulled in $263,730, and has $184,950 on hand. His challenger, Sandy Cioffi, has raised $20,506 and has $13,895 on hand (or less than ten percent of Rasmussen's haul so far.)
In position 7, incumbent Tim Burgess has raised $189,858 and has $118,601 on hand. His only challenger, David Schraer, has not reported any contributions so far during the campaign.
In position 9, incumbent Sally Clark has raised $172,708 and has $128,993 on hand. Her challenger Dian Ferguson has raised $22,331 and has $5,545 on hand.
These numbers, of course, aren't predictive of who will win---challengers have, and will continue to, defeat incumbents with more money on occasion. (See: Mike McGinn). But a hurdle like Tom Rasmussen's $263,000 campaign fund will be hard to clear; grassroots organizing is one thing, but money buys campaign literature, consultants, and name recognition, and it's hard to deny that those things have value come election day.
No last-minute surprise filings a la Jean Godden 2003 (although Tom Rasmussen did get a second opponent, a guy named Dale Pusey), so let's go straight to the numbers.
In position 1, Godden (the incumbent) has raised a total of $149,277, and has $78,502 on hand. Her opponent Maurice Classen has raised the most overall, $86,424, and has $54,809 on hand. Next in fundraising is Bobby Forch, who's raised $34,863, and has $9,862 on hand. And finally, Michael Taylor-Judd has raised $12,582, and is $5,432 in the red.
In position 3, challenger Brad Meacham has raised $37,393, and has $21,366 on hand. The incumbent, Bruce Harrell, hasn't filed his reports yet (he's the only candidate who hasn't done so).
In position 5, incumbent Tom Rasmussen---topping out all candidates in every race for the total raised---has pulled in $263,730, and has $184,950 on hand. His challenger, Sandy Cioffi, has raised $20,506 and has $13,895 on hand (or less than ten percent of Rasmussen's haul so far.)
In position 7, incumbent Tim Burgess has raised $189,858 and has $118,601 on hand. His only challenger, David Schraer, has not reported any contributions so far during the campaign.
In position 9, incumbent Sally Clark has raised $172,708 and has $128,993 on hand. Her challenger Dian Ferguson has raised $22,331 and has $5,545 on hand.
These numbers, of course, aren't predictive of who will win---challengers have, and will continue to, defeat incumbents with more money on occasion. (See: Mike McGinn). But a hurdle like Tom Rasmussen's $263,000 campaign fund will be hard to clear; grassroots organizing is one thing, but money buys campaign literature, consultants, and name recognition, and it's hard to deny that those things have value come election day.
