Money drives candidates' campaigns
Thursday, August 17, 2006By Sarah Breitenbach, Cliff Cumber and Liam Farrell
The reports, which were due Tuesday to state and local elections boards, detail contributions made between Jan. 1 and Aug. 8.
In some cases, candidates have funds raised before January that carry over into this period. A second report will be available Sept. 1. The primary is Sept. 12 and the general election is Nov. 7.
County commissioners
Reports from the county commissioners' campaigns identify the mysterious backers of a July 19 farmers forum, which became controversial because its organizers would not identify themselves. Commissioners President John L. Thompson Jr., who is running for re-election, has said the forum may have been a political action committee, which would require its organizers to come forward.
Three of the four candidates who spoke at the agricultural event -- Commissioner Mike Cady and challengers Billy Shreve and Charles Jenkins -- have entries in the finance reports noting the forum as an in-kind contribution.
The event was not reported by Commissioner John Lovell, who said via e-mail it would be noted on his next report.
"The (Lovell campaign) treasurer was out of town in Boston and did not get the information prior to the last filing," he wrote.
The reports show the Gladhill Tractor Mart as one contributor. The store is owned by Maurice Gladhill, who has said he was approached by "friends of agriculture" to provide the venue. He has declined to name them.
Willard Agri-Services and equipment dealer HB Duvall contributed to the forum, as did Lisa Willis. The reports differ on whether she has a Frederick or Damascus address.
The total in-kind contribution for the forum for Mr. Shreve, Mr. Cady and Mr. Jenkins was $3,028 -- $1,009 each.
Mr. Shreve and Democrat Kai Hagen top the list in raising and spending money.
Mr. Hagen has raised $27,205, the most of all 18 Democrat and Republican candidates in the commissioners campaigns; he has the most money left in the bank, despite heavy spending. He has $11,485 on hand after $15,719 in expenses, even though he and three other Democrats will enter the general election automatically. Six Democrats would have had to enter the race for a Democratic primary.
Mr. Hagen said his spending was mostly on small and medium signs that are yet to go up, 100 large signs that have not yet arrived and 10,000 brochures.
Developers are investing more money, time and energy in this race than any other in the county's history, Mr. Hagen said.
"A good portion of what's left and what we haven't raised yet will ensure we'll be able to match the developer-funded candidates in October, when they are purchasing ads in all the local newspapers and on the local radio stations," he said via e-mail.
Mr. Shreve raised $19,972, making him the second largest fundraiser. He has spent nearly all of that, $19,883, making him the race's No. 1 spender in a crowded Republican primary field. Fourteen are vying for five GOP slots in the general election.
The four candidates from the farmers' forum are the biggest fundraisers among Republicans in the race. But they've spent heavily too.
After Mr. Shreve, Mr. Cady is the No. 2 GOP moneymaker with $19,940; Mr. Lovell raised $14,635; Mr. Jenkins, $13,765. After Mr. Shreve, Mr. Lovell was the biggest spender, going through $15,382. Mr. Cady is close behind, with $15,079 in expenditures. Mr. Jenkins spent $10,866.
Most of the spending has focused on getting the message out with campaign advertising on the radio and in newspapers.
All told, commissioner candidates have raised more than $142,000 and spent close to $100,000.
State races
District 3
In the District 3 Senate race, Republican incumbent Alex Mooney has the largest campaign war chest heading into the last few months of the election cycle.
He has raised $77,551 and has approximately $212,801 left in the bank.
Despite his facing two primary challengers, the numbers pale in comparison to Mr. Mooney's fundraising juggernaut during the same period in 2002, when his contributions were about four times -- $320,971 -- what he has received this year. His spending was also almost double the current year, at $137,497.
He credited the downshift in his own finances to his work raising money for other Republican candidates in the state and leading the Maryland Republican Senatorial Slate Committee.
"The Republicans are going on offense," he said.
Overall, Mr. Mooney believes he is ready for competition.
"I've been fundraising for four years, so I'm always preparing for a tough race," he said. "In general, I'm happy with my report."
In contrast to Mr. Mooney, Hugh Warner, a Republican challenger running on a pro-slots platform, has raised $30,599, the bulk coming from a $28,000 loan. Mr. Warner has spent $21,831, leaving $8,768.
Republican challenger Tim Brooks, who has criticized Mr. Mooney's stance on immigration, gathered $870 in contributions, spending $238.
Candy Greenway, the lone Democrat in the race, has raised $15,854 since entering the race July 3. She has spent $1,946, leaving a balance of $13,908.
Ms. Greenway said the first few weeks of her campaign focused on fundraising, but her main concern is knocking on 13,000 doors in the district.
"I have to go back and forth (between fundraising and campaigning)," she said. "I don't have the resources Mr. Mooney does."
No candidates in the District 3A delegate election face a primary battle, but candidates are still active in fundraising and spending.
On the Republican slate, incumbent Patrick Hogan leads with $20,980 in contributions. Mr. Hogan has spent $7,607 and still has $39,229 in reserve. Linda Naylor goes into September with $4,329 in donations, of which $3,761 has been spent, leaving $1,508.
Incumbent Democrat Galen Clagett has raised $15,250 and has about $38,695 in reserve. Sue Hecht, a former Democratic delegate also running for District 3A, said her report was sent to the board Tuesday.
House District 3B
Delegate Rick Weldon, R-Frederick, appears to be paving the financial path for the House District 3B seat with what would otherwise be considered a shoestring budget.
Mr. Weldon has collected $4,380 and has $1,272 left in his account.
Republican challenger Roy Burke II has not spent a dollar of his $500 cache.
According to election board officials, as of Wednesday, finance reports for Democrat Paul Gilligan, who will not face a primary contest, had not been entered into the state's database.
Senate District 4
While there will be no Democratic primary, race in District 4, both Republican candidates David Brinkley and Paul Chamberlain filed reports Tuesday evening.
Mr. Brinkley's war chest boasts a $58,712 balance.
Mr. Chamberlain's account information was not available Wednesday because he turned his finance report in late Tuesday evening. Officials at the state board of elections said his report will be available online today.
House District 4A
Joe Bartlett, R-Frederick, one of two incumbents vying for two seats in District 4A, said his strategy has been not to overdo pre-primary fundraising.
He said he will host a big fundraiser from which he hopes to garner $25,000 to $30,000, after the primary.
"I'm happy with the amount of money I have in the bank," Mr. Bartlett said. "It's a lot more than (I had in 2002)."
He has a $39,269 balance.
Mr. Bartlett and Delegate Paul Stull, R-Frederick, will not face a primary challenge.
Mr. Stull's account balance sits at $12,589.
Election board officials said Wednesday afternoon that they had not received finance reports for Maggi Hays, the only Democrat running for a 4A seat.
Ms. Hays also filed for a seat on the Frederick County Democratic Central Committee.
Board of Education
While three of the 11 Board of Education members filed affidavits promising to keep their pre-primary fundraising less than $1,000, others filed reports for the funds they managed to collect.
Challenger Jonathan Switzer has $3,575 socked away, but said he is likely to use a good deal of it to repay a $2,500 loan he gave himself.
"It was just to get me over the hump in terms of kicking things into gear," he said.
Mr. Switzer held a campaign event Aug. 4 where he raised roughly $1,000, he said.
Incumbent Daryl Boffman said he does not know if his campaign finance forms have been turned in by his treasurer, but said he does know that he hasn't raised a dime.
"I know we haven't collected anything," Mr. Boffman said. "I'm sure at some point in time, but if you look around at Board of Education members, you don't see very much going on."
Candidates Bonnie Borsa, Angie Fish, Leslie Mansfield and Jean Smith each have less than $1,000 in their accounts.
County board of elections officials said they had not received finance reports from Barrie Ciliberti and Whitney Duck.
Eight candidates will move on from the nonpartisan primary election to vie for four open seats in the November election.
WHY I'M VOTING FOR KAI!
Jodye L. Roebuck
Point of Rocks
I used to be just like a lot (if not the majority) of residents in Frederick County - I lived in my own little bubble, busy with work, taking care of my home and family...... Until the day that several utility companies decided they wanted to build power plants in Frederick County. Since one of these proposed sites was literally within view from my back deck - I became a 'community activist' overnight. My life changed, and my little...
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