As the campaign finance reports for City of Houston races come online, I’ve been collecting all the reports and putting them together into an easier-to-read format. I’ve also received a bunch of press releases, which I’ll be reproducing beneath the fold. Here are some quick hits.
– According to his press release, Houston Mayoral candidate Gene Locke raised $1.15 million for the six-month reporting period that just ended. That’s about $200K more than Annise Parker raised, and is a very strong showing, especially for a first time candidate.
– Peter Brown‘s press release reports $477,000 raised and over $1.7 million cash on hand. He also reported a loan of $765,000. Even without that, he’d have a sizable lead in COH, as Locke has $574K and Parker $602K.
– All of the Mayoral candidates can claim success, and indeed all of them have – Parker put out another release later in the day today comparing her achievements with those of Locke and Brown. I think they all did pretty well in a tough environment, and I feel confident you’ll be seeing and hearing a lot from all three of them starting real soon.
– By the way, in case you’re curious, Roy Morales raised $18,720 and has a smidge under $10K on hand. He’s not going to be a factor. I could not find a report for TJ Huntley as yet.
– On the Controller side, Pam Holm raised $292K, with $348K on hand; MJ Khan raised $87,350 and has $312K $353K on hand. Ronald Green had not yet filed a report. As I said before, he’s got his work cut out for him.
(UPDATE: Fixed MJ Khan’s cash on hand number. My thanks to Andre Castro from his campaign for the correction.)
– For the At Large races, there are several reports missing. The biggest money-raiser so far is Stephen Costello in #1, who hauled in a fairly impressive $156K, with $106K on hand. The only other report I’ve seen so far is for Rick Rodriguez, who raised very little. In At Large #4, Noel Freeman sent out a release claiming $35,985.75 from nearly 175 donors, which edged out Brad Bradford’s $31,285.
– At Large incumbents Sue Lovell and Melissa Noriega each raised over $100K, with Jolanda Jones pulling in $64K. Roslyn Shorter, who is an announced candidate against Lovell, raised no money; Carlos Obando, running against Jones, had not yet filed his report.
– Finally, among the open district seats, the leading fundraisers were Lane Lewis in District A with $34,858 raised and $13,066 cash on hand; Mike Laster in F with $38,629 raised and $31,608 on hand; and Oliver Pennington in G with an impressive $182K raised and $101K on hand. Not everyone in those races has reported yet, so there could wind up being a reshuffling. I’ve put what I’ve got so far in this Google spreadsheet, so check that for further updates.
Beneath the fold are all of the press releases I got. If I get any more, I’ll add them as well. Let me know what you think about how the candidates have done.
UPDATE: Nancy Sims and Greg Wythe weigh in.
LOCKE RAISES OVER $1.15 MILLION
In an Energetic Show of Growing Support $383 Thousand Raised in the Last 30 Days
The Gene Locke for Mayor campaign today announced that it had raised more than $1.15 million in its first reporting period of the campaign. More than 30% was raised between June 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009, showing the growing support and energy for Locke to be elected the next mayor of Houston.
Locke was the last major candidate to announce his candidacy for mayor on March 26, 2009, midway through the reporting period. Despite his relatively late start, Locke outpaced his opponents, who came into the race as previously elected officials with large war chests and a built-in network of supporters.
“Houstonians are investing in our campaign because they know that when I am mayor I will build a bridge to a new era of opportunity and prosperity for Houston,” said Locke. “When I came to Houston I had $20 in my pocket and it’s encouraging to start my campaign for mayor with considerably more than that thanks to the generosity of so many Houstonians. We’ve got a long way to go and a lot of sweat equity yet to earn, but our fundraising success shows the strength of our support.”
Unlike most of the other candidates in the race for mayor, Locke has never run for high elected office before. He did not have an existing political network, a nationwide fundraising base, or hundreds of thousands of dollars to transfer into a mayoral account to inflate his fundraising numbers.
“I’ve campaigned side-by-side with Gene in neighborhoods all across Houston. I’ve never seen a candidate work harder than Gene,” said Harris County Constable Victor Trevino. “It makes me proud to be involved in a campaign that is bringing together such a varied group of Houstonians. The question always posed to first time candidates is, can they raise money? These numbers prove that Gene can get strong results and that his support grows every day.”
“It is an incredible feat that Gene has been able to raise the amount of money that he has in the last three months. From our volunteers to our fundraising this campaign gets stronger and stronger every day,” said Christian Archer, Locke for Mayor campaign manager. “Gene Locke continues to build a powerful coalition of support that is the foundation of a winning campaign.”
The reporting period for this filing was January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009.
Brown Amasses War Chest of Over $1.7 Million
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lucinda Guinn
Phone: (713) 528-0049
lucinda@peterbrownformayor.comJuly 15, 2009
Houston, TX—Houston mayoral candidate Peter Brown announced today that he has amassed a war chest of over $1,7 million for his election – more than any other candidate in the race. Brown’s support continues to grow and his campaign continues to pick up momentum as the candidates head toward the traditional beginning of campaign season.
“We have exceeded our goal,” said Peter Brown. “Houstonians are responding to my plans to cut crime, bring new jobs to the city and improve our quality of life. Other candidates might be relying on downtown special interests or combing San Francisco and New York City for donations, but my campaign is focusing on donors who live and vote right here in Houston – who have a stake in the future of our city.”
The Peter Brown for Mayor Campaign has raised over $477,000 since January first of this year bringing his total cash on hand to $1,756,031.
As a successful businessman, Peter Brown has the experience Houston needs in our next mayor. A U.S. Army Veteran born and raised in Houston, Peter built his own small business into a successful national firm. He knows how to make a business thrive, and he knows how to get results. As Mayor, he’ll use those skills to improve our city – protecting our tax dollars with a more effective, efficient and accountable approach to government. He’ll make smart investments to reduce crime, improve the quality of life, and attract more businesses and more jobs to Houston. As a City Councilman, Brown saved taxpayers millions by reforming city building plans, cutting government waste, and championing conservation efforts. Brown has the experience and vision to take the next step for Houston. We need a Mayor who will get results, and Peter Brown is that leader.
PRESS RELEASEFor Immediate Release: July 15, 2009
Contact: Adam Harris
501-590-3365 cell | adam@anniseparker.comWe’re Thrilled!Houston, TX – The candidates for mayor filed their finance reports today – and the big story here is Annise Parker.
Everybody thought Gene Locke would have three times as much money. But Annise Parker has more.
Because he has a limited base of support, Brown is having to spend his personal wealth to try to buy his way into the mayor’s office. Let’s remember, in 2003 Bill White started out with little name ID. That’s the position Brown is in. It took White – who did have an actual base of support – $6 million to get into a runoff spot.
Bottom line – the big story is Annise Parker:
- Parker has more cash on hand than Locke.
- Parker has more than three times as many individual donations as Locke, and almost twice as many as Brown and Locke combined.
- Locke is spending almost twice as much money per month as Parker – simply trying to catch up to the substantial lead Parker entered the race with and continues to grow.
- Locke’s campaign stated that the evidence of “campaign strength” was raising $383,000 in the last 30 days. But Parker raised more than that during the last 30 days. (If the last 30 days is the mark of campaign strength, it’s worth noting that Parker raised 47% of her total contributions in the last 30 days of the period, while Locke raised 33% of his total contributions during that time.)
One thing is clear: Annise Parker is not only the candidate who started out with a strong lead – she’s the candidate who continues to grow that lead. Parker’s dollars were raised from more individual donors than any other candidate. Parker’s small dollar donors live on a budget, give wisely and will give again and again during this important campaign to steer Houston through tough economic challenges.
As Houston’s elected City Controller, Annise Parker directs Houston’s financial investments and manages billions of tax dollars. Her record of independent audits has cut waste and saved the city money to use for priorities like public safety, after-school programs, and economic development. A businesswoman and neighborhood leader, Parker also served on Houston’s City Council. She spent 20 years in the oil and gas industry before entering public service.
Costello Raises over $150,000
For City Council Race
Stephen Costello, candidate for Houston City Council At Large Position 1, today reported raising more than $150,000 for his campaign.
Total contributions were $156,155 from 140 donors. With expenditures of about $50,000, Costello has $106,147 in cash on hand as of June 30, 2009.
“I am humbled by the support and the belief in me so many have shown with their donations,” Costello said. “I have met a lot of people and enjoyed speaking with them and learning from them. I look forward to visiting with even more Houstonians over the next few months to share my vision for Houston and hear how I can help them.”
Costello has received the endorsement of the Council of Engineering Companies and the Greater Houston Builders Association.
Stephen Costello is President and co-founder of Costello, Inc., a full service civil engineering firm based in Houston. The firm maintains a staff of over 110 employees with experience in transportation, drainage and flood control, surveying, municipal engineering and land development. Costello will bring a unique background to City Council that includes an expertise in drainage and flood control, working with City Hall to improve and expand on green spaces and working to keep more police on the streets.
Noel Freeman leads fund raising for At-Large 4
Contact: Travis Sheive, 713-628-9133
HOUSTON, TX – The Noel Freeman Campaign has filed its first campaign finance statement with the City of Houston, reporting that efforts have raised nearly $36,000. This achievement makes Noel the most successful candidate in the race for City Council, At-Large Position 4.
Having raised $35,985.75 from nearly 175 donors, the Freeman Campaign enjoys a broad base of support from all across Houston.
“I’m so grateful to everyone who has worked so hard and opened up their homes to my campaign, and I’m very grateful to everyone who has contributed, especially in such a tough economy. When these individuals heard my plan to work for a stronger Houston and my record of positive experience getting results for our city, they made a commitment to our campaign.”
Noel has spent his career dedicated to service. From the Air Force, to Intelligence Analyst for the NSA, working as a Congressional aide, to currently serving at the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department, Noel has been consistently received awards and outstanding citations.
Noel is running for City Council to rescue our dated infrastructure, strengthen our neighborhoods and small businesses, and increase police and first responder forces.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michael Kolenc | (281) 989-7353
MichaelKolenc@LaneLewis.com
July 15, 2009LANE LEWIS SHOWS BROAD SUPPORT WITH FUNDRAISING TOTAL
Houston, TX – City Council District A candidate Lane Lewis released
fundraising totals today, reporting $34,858.37 raised from 330 donations.
Since announcing his candidacy in late-March, Lewis has worked tirelessly
to build grassroots support. His success is evident in this fundraising
report.“Affordability, accessibility, and accountability resonate with people,
and the proof is the broad support my fundraising total shows,” said
Lewis. “A sound infrastructure, a strong economy, and safe neighborhoods
are critical to making District A an even better place to live.”The Lewis Campaign will report the following for the period ending June 30
2009:• $34,858.37 in total contributions from 330 donors
• $13,066.08 cash on hand
• 55% of donations were contributions of $50 or less
• 82% of donations were contributions of $100 or lessThe Lewis Campaign will file the campaign finance report on the July 15,
2009 deadline.Lane Lewis has dedicated his life to serving the people of Houston. As
the proud son of a teacher and factory supervisor, Lane understood from an
early age the value of hard work and helping others. As a social worker
and elementary school teacher Lane helps at-risk youth reach their
potential; as a past advisor to the Houston Police Department, Lane
offered leadership to help reduce crime; and as our next District A City
Council Member, Lane will address our neighborhood problems, seek the
community’s input, and demand solutions, all while keeping a close eye on
how your tax dollars are spent.For more information, visit www.LaneLewis.com
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I can’t beleive Shorter and Bradford did such bad jobs. I guess since they’re on the same slate as bradford they plan to rely on him for leg work.
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District A appears to be wide open – although from the finance reports we can tell who the current incumbent is supporting
who are candidates for council member district E