Holden tops in money raised

Latest campaign finance reports filed Tuesday

With 30 days to go before the Nov. 6 election, Mayor-President Kip Holden had more than three times the cash on hand of his best-financed challenger, Metro Councilman Mike Walker, according to campaign finance reports filed Tuesday with the Louisiana Ethics Administration.

Between July 30 and Sept. 27, Holden raised $160,260 in cash donations. His campaign spent $77,175 during the same period, leaving it with $417,512 in cash on hand on Sept. 27, the reports show.

Walker raised $71,090 between July 30 and Sept. 27 and spent $67,503, leaving the Walker campaign with $125,006 on hand, the reports show.

One of the two no-party candidates in the race, businessman Gordon Mese, is not accepting contributions.

The other, attorney Steve Myers, loaned his campaign $5,000 the reports show. Since the reporting cutoff of Sept. 27, Myers has vowed to self-finance his campaign with $35,000 of his own money and another $100,000 he will raise by mortgaging a rental property.

Since the first of the year, Holden has raised $511,400 — nearly double the $267,080 raised by Walker.

Contractors, engineers, lawyers, consultants, utility companies and a variety of others were among those making contributions.

Despite the financial disparity, Walker campaign adviser Chris Boudreaux said fundraising met the campaign’s expectations.

“We never expected to be able to raise as much as a sitting incumbent mayor who has been there for eight years,” Boudreaux said. “We feel good about where we are.”

Boudreaux said Walker has estimated a budget of $450,000 for the entire campaign, a target he expects to hit.

Boudreaux said Walker had received about 1,200 donations since the start of the campaign, which he said pointed to broad support for his candidacy.

Walker will get some high-powered support later this month when a list of Louisiana Republicans, including Sen. David Vitter, Reps. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, and Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, are hosting a $500 per-couple fundraising event for him in New Orleans.

Rannah Gray, a campaign adviser to Holden, said the mayor’s campaign was gathering momentum for the stretch run.

“We are very pleased with where we are on fundraising,” Gray said. “We have a number of significant events still to come.”

Holden’s campaign is just beginning its media campaign, Gray said.

“This becomes the part of the campaign that costs money,” she said. “We will spend the money that we have raised.”

Walker did exceed Holden in the number of donations at the maximum level of $5,000.

Walker had seven donations at that level; Holden had four.

Holden more than makes up the difference in the number of contributions between $1,000 and $4,000, with 53 such donations to 14 for Walker.

Walker also received a $1,000 contribution from Metro Councilman-elect Ryan Heck, who will take over the District 11 seat from Alison Gary. Gary is not running for re-election.

Holden reported 222 contributions for an average of about $722 per donation, the reports show.

Walker reported 175 contributions for an average of $406 per donation, the records show.

Among Holden’s expenditures were $20,000 to a Florida company for polling and $10,000 to a Baton Rouge firm for the printing of stickers, notes, ad layouts and video production.

Holden’s campaign also spent $8,541 for signs.

Walker’s campaigns largest expenditures — nearly $24,000 — went to salaries for his campaign staff.

He also spent $5,734 with Jan’s Mailing in Denham Springs for direct mail and another $3,472 for radio advertising.

The election is Nov. 6.

If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters will go into a runoff that will be held Dec. 8.

Campaign contributions of $500 or more to Holden for the period July 30 through Sept. 27 included:

• $5,000: Fluid Process & Pumps LLC, JJA Properties LLC, Shirley LeBlanc, Max Foote Construction Co Inc.

• $4,000: AT&T

• $3,500: Wilfred B. Barry, Grady Crawford Construction Co. Inc.

• $3,000: Interline LLC, Randy Hollis, Manchac Consulting Group Inc, Eugene Owen, Janice H. Pellar, The Newtron Group LLC

• $2,500: Atakapa Construction Group LLC, Basin Enterprise Inc., Robert Carswell, Celtic Management Corporation, Diesel Driving Academy Inc., French Market Investment Inc., Michael N. McGaugh, Nicholson Estates LLC, Redstick Enterprises LLC, W.T. & Associates Inc.

• $2,000: Gulf Engineers & Consultants, Joseph Kent Farms LLC, Patrick Kerr, Hays D. Owen

• $1,500: Greenwell Properties, Taylor Porter Brooks & Phillips LLP

• $1,000: Affinity Engineering Group Inc., Always Care Benefits Inc., Princeton M. Bardwell, Charles Berggreen, Butler Snow Political Action Committee, Holly B. Clegg, Kevin H. Couhig, Grady H. Crawford Jr., DMC Consultors LLC, Gregory M. Eaton, ECM Consultants INC., Forte and Tablada Inc., Sergio J. Girau, Justin S. Haydel, Haynie & Associates Inc., Hess Engineers LLC, Christopher Lacroix, Charles W. Lamar III, Lawaste & Consulting LLC, Liberty Bank, Mayer IT, Robert C. Overall Jr., Sabiston Consultants LLC, Damaica Lewis Singleton, Steve Kent Trucking Inc., The Livingston Group LLC., Veloia Transportation

• $750: Dove Environmental Inc., Water & Wastewater Utilities Inc.

• $700: L. Cary Saurage II, A. Tyson

• $500: Barry Blumberg, Boh Bros Construction Co LLC, Bonton Associates LLC, Todd M. Bourgeois, James D. Brewer, J.E. Brignac Jr., J. Terrell Brown, Capitol Strategies Group Consulting LLC, Chenevert Architects LLC, CRPPA Local PAC, C. Patrick Cuntz, John D’Angelo, D. Honore Construction Inc., David Humphreys Photographer, Joe Dean, John W. Degravelles, Tia Embaugh, ENPAC Louisiana, Eskew Dumez Ripple, ETEC Services Inc., Calvin C. Fayard Jr., Kenneth R. Ferachi Jr., Ron Forman, John Paul Funes, Kelsey Funes, Rhaoul Guillaume Jr., Harris Deville & Associates, Paula Hoffman, Daniel D. Holliday III, William R. Holman, Joseph A Jaeger Jr, Ronnie Johns, Abby E. King, Kinney & Ellinghausen, Gary P. Koederitz, Kris Perret, Richard Leibowitz, Lindsay & Abadie APLC, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson LLP, Lipsey’s, Wallace Little Jr., Marion Harrison Law Firm LLC, Nancy M. Marsiglia, National Housing Consultant Services LLC, Christine Nichols, Nu Vieux, Parsons Brinckerhoff Inc., Roadrunner Towing & Recovery Inc., Roberto J. Aguilar, Scotty E. Chabert Jr. LLC, Tamara Simien, Dr. William S. Slaughter III, Spradley & Spradley Inc., TRC, T. E. Williams

Campaign contributions of $500 or more to Walker for the period July 30 through Sept. 27 included:

• $5,000: Ken Jacob, Milton G. Graugnard, Todd Grigsby, Michael C. Moran, Brandon Babin, Brandi Babin, Bobbi Grigsby

• $2,500: 701 PAC

• $2,000: Republic Services Inc.

• $1,500: The Rimes Group

• $1,000: Bobbe Guillory, Kaco Interests LLC, Tony Talamantez, Elizabeth Grathouse, William T. Poe, Robert S. Borne, Shafaq Z. Akbar, Carlos M. Suadi, West Chimes Place LLC, Kevin R. Courville, Ryan E. Heck

• $750: George F. Ballard

• $500: Bear Industries Inc., James A. McBride, Preferred Title Company, Dr. Frederic T. Billings III, Denis E. Carlton, David T. Waguespack, Bullion Development LLC

Comments

1) Comment by phil - 11/10/2012

DMJ - personally I think when companies that do business with the city-parish can give campaign contributions to those folks who run the city-parish then there is a big issue there. It might all be legal but....

2) Comment by Being_Stupid - 10/10/2012

I got to hand it to Steve Myers. For being late to the game, he has the best website. His website is way more informative on how he stands on important issues than the other candidates. He also performed very well in the debates that he has been invited to, although one wouldn't necessarily know from reading a short newspaper article on. I gotta say, this candidate impresses me. He is definitely one who fights for what is right.

3) Comment by Being_Stupid - 10/10/2012

DMJ, you seem to really hold a grudge against Myers. I would think that you of all commentators would support a candidate that raises their own money to run for office instead of using contributions from rich people or BIG corporations.

4) Comment by Being_Stupid - 10/10/2012

All this Campaign Finance Reform does is make it impossible for the little guy or new gal to run for office because of all the complex regulations and hoops one must jump thru to report how they raised money to run for office. The BIG NAME established politicians can easily afford to abide with all this excessive finance reporting regulation, while the new guy or gal in politics has such a difficult time complying with the excessive regulation they just give up even trying to pursue an elected office. Finance Reform is really un-American.

5) Comment by DMJ - 10/10/2012

Hey phil, corporations are people, right? They can give money, which is speech, and not have to disclose because they're people and are entitled to privacy. Gotta love America.... I'm with you, buddy. I want disclosure in all forms.

6) Comment by phil - 10/10/2012

Well, I saw the ad on TV for Mayor Holden about BR being first at some things. For some reason the ad forgot to mention that BR is first, or close to it, on the murder rate, AIDS rate, poverty etc. By the way, how many companies that are now doing work for the EBR Parish government gave some money to campaign funds? Look back a few years and not just this year (hint). By the way, how that $1.6 billion SSO sewer project and those sewer bonds coming along now?

7) Comment by DMJ - 10/10/2012

That's it, Myers, use some of your own cash to syphon votes away from Walker.

8) Comment by markedwardmarchiafava - 10/10/2012

Would you vote for someone merely based on how much $$$ they raised?

9) Comment by Terd Handler - 10/10/2012

@Cousin Dave, there's a list of donors on the right side of the screen. But a link to the reports online would be helpful.

10) Comment by Cousin Dave - 10/10/2012

Is there any reason for not listing the major contributors? The only contributor listed in the article is Councilman-elect Ryan Heck, who is probably donating other people's money. Seems like the big contributors might be more important than how much was spent on signs and stickers.