Teaser: Campaign Finance Reports Tell Some Tales
We know our readers look forward to Cecil Times reports and analysis of local candidates’ campaign finance reports and we are hard at work on searching and reviewing the latest pre-primary reports that were due to be filed with the state Board of Elections this week. The state Board and the computer databases have been swamped and the reports of some important candidates who have filed are not yet available online. We will be doing detailed reports in all key races in the county and District 36 state contests in the course of the next few days.
But we thought we’d tantalize you with a few nuggets, to be mined more fully later.
Sheriff’s Race:
— Incumbent Republican Barry Janney is, as usual, well-financed but his campaign pockets are nowhere near as full as in past campaigns when he had far less competition. He has raised nearly $21,000 so far this year, adding on to a carry-over balance from 2009 of $26,877. After expenses, he has $19,337 left in cash on hand to carry him through his contested Republican primary.
–GOP challenger Dan Slater gets the gold star for most improved fundraising, expanding his reach to southern Cecil County with a Crystal Beach barbecue and other events. His latest report shows he raised $7,805 since January. He began the year with a cash balance of $1,151 but after expenses, he is just about tapped out. He has just $69.01 cash in the bank.
–Democratic candidate Robert “Skip” DeWitt has made a strong showing after entering the primary late in the game, after rival Chris Sutton had been fundraising for over a year. DeWitt has raised $7,275, and after expenses still has $2,230 cash on hand.
Sutton’s report has been filed but was not yet available online.
In other races:
–County Commissioner Brian Lockhart (D-3) is a major bankroller of Democratic Commissioner Wayne Tome’s campaign for re-election in Dist. 4.
–Wonder of wonders, Del. Michael Smigiel (R-36) has actually filed his latest finance report on time! He has been levied late fee fines repeatedly in the past by the State Elections Board, in one case for filing well over a year late. This year, Smigiel has had to rely heavily on personal loans to his campaign as well as some political action committies and out-of-district donors.
We’ll be back with much more, soon. But first we have some unfinished business, following up on the League of Women Voters candidate forum from Tuesday night.
Well imagine that, Commissioner Lockhart financing Commissioner Tome — one can only wonder how many ‘votes’ that bankrolling will get him….Lockhart, that is!