New reports show where the finances of those interested in running for civic office in Austin this November now stand, days before the candidate filing period officially opens.
Positions on the ballot this fall include mayor and City Council representatives in districts 1, 3, 5, 8 and 9.
Incumbent District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison and incumbent District 8 Council Member Paige Ellis are seeking re-election. Mayor Steve Adler, District 3 Council Member Pio Renteria, District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen and District 9 Council Member Kathie Tovo have all hit their term limits.
The candidate filing period for the November election opens July 23 and closes Aug. 22. However, most candidates have already signaled their intention to run through public announcements or campaign treasurer appointments.
Mayoral contest
Eight candidates have shared their intentions to enter the race to succeed Adler as of July 15, the deadline for mid-year campaign finance report filings. Leading the pack financially is Kirk Watson, former Austin mayor and state senator, who formally launched his campaign in February and had raised just under $1 million since then. In a July 14 announcement, his campaign said Watson's fundraising haul set a new Austin record as of the mid-year reporting deadline.
"This is an important indicator of our campaign’s strength and support. The base we are building is wide and deep. It’s a great honor to have so many people—from every part of our community—coming together as part of our campaign," Watson said in a statement.
In total, Watson raised $997,465 from thousands of donors, including more than 2,000 who gave the $400 maximum. Watson spent $173,333 and had $757,643 on hand through June.
State Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, gathered more than $253,000 and spent more than $89,000 in the first months of this year, with more than 300 maximum donations. She had over $160,000 on hand as of July 15.
“Our campaign will have the resources we need to build an unprecedented outreach program and deliver Celia’s message directly to voters who are fed up with the status quo in Austin, which has failed to keep our city affordable for the people who build and serve it," campaign manager Rich Thuma said in a statement.
Jennifer Virden, a real estate broker and former District 10 council candidate who was narrowly defeated by incumbent Alison Alter in a 2020 runoff, reported having $347,616 on hand after raising $84,500 and spending just under $62,400 over the past six months. Her fundraising among individual donors ranged from $10 to the $400 limit, with more than 100 contributors at that level.
Tovo, who was weighing a mayoral run this year, bowed out of contention July 15. She had spent $11,134.92 this year and had less than $400 on hand, and she reported $161,807.06 in outstanding loans.
Phil C. Brual reported $250 on hand through June, while Erica Nix reported no financial activity this year.
Anthony Bradshaw and Gary Spellman, who have appointed treasurers for mayoral campaigns, did not have finance reports submitted as of July 18.
Council races
In the race for the District 1 council seat and the chance to represent Central and Northeast Austin, the incumbent Harper-Madison is far outstripping her lone challenger. Through June, Harper-Madison raised nearly $114,000 and spent nearly $15,000 with a cash-on-hand total of $99,000. Harper-Madison had more than 200 individual donors contributing the $400 maximum, including Adler and Travis County Attorney Delia Garza.
Clint Rarey, Harper-Madison's only opponent so far, raised $1,060 mainly from family members and fellow council candidates Yvonne Weldon and Becky McMillian—who appointed a campaign treasurer for the District 10 seat. Rarey had spent $600 on marketing as of June 30.
In District 3, José Velásquez is leading in the race to succeed Renteria with more than $44,300 raised and $36,505 on hand through June. Daniela M. Silva had collected nearly $12,000; Bertha Marie Rendon Delgado reported $7,100 in contributions; Jose Noe Elias had just under $4,000 raised and Yvonne T. Weldon totaled $450 in contributions.
More than $200,000 has been raised between the District 5 candidates seeking to succeed Kitchen as Southwest Austin's representative. Aaron T. Webman led the pack as of late June with $107,922 collected and more than $104,000 on hand. Attorney and legislative staffer Ryan Alter—formerly employed in Watson's senate office—raised more than $57,000 and maintained around $48,700 at the end of June. Both collected dozens of $400 donations.
Communications professional Stephanie Bazan had raised nearly $34,000 and had $50,500 on hand through June. Businessperson Bill Welch had raised $13,600 and maintained $11,300, and Ken Craig Jr. had raised more than $14,000.
In City Council District 8, incumbent Ellis was leading challenger Richard Smith in fundraising over the past six months. Ellis reported raising nearly $44,000 and maintaining more than $100,000 on hand through June. Smith reported raising just under $25,000 and maintained $41,229 on hand over the same time.
Kim Hawkins and Antonio D. Ross, who have appointed campaign treasurers, did not have finance reports filed as of July 18.
The packed field for the race to represent Austin's downtown and succeed longtime council member Tovo is the largest aside from mayor, and the District 9 contest has also generated more fundraising than other races between its eight candidates. Leading in fundraising was Ben Leffler with $46,790, including around two dozen maximum donations. Leffler reported more than $93,200 on hand through June.
Following Leffler are Joah Spearman with nearly $44,000 raised and $36,000 on hand; Linda H. Guerrero with $37,000 raised and around the same total on hand; Zo Qadri with $34,140 raised and nearly $33,000 on hand; Tom Wald with nearly $34,000 raised and $32,300 on hand; and Greg P. Smith with $25,478 both raised and on hand.
Zena Mitchell and Jason Hyde reported no fundraising activity or cash on hand as of June 30.
