The financial stakes continue to grow as 44 candidates compete for Corpus Christi City Council jobs that pay less than $10,000 per year \u2014 in this past month alone, total campaign contributions reached at least $746,000 and expenditures at least $791,000.<\/p>\n
The figures come from campaign finance reports, mandated by the Texas Ethics Commission, that require those seeking election to publicly account for the money involved with their campaigns for office.<\/p>\n
That includes the amount of funds candidates have received and from whom, how much they have spent and what was purchased, and the amount of cash retained in their campaign purses as of the last day of the filing period.<\/p>\n
The most recent campaign finance reports, known as eight-day reports, were due Oct. 26, generally covering a one-month period from Sept. 25 to Oct. 24.<\/p>\n
Online city secretary records show that about one dozen of the 44 candidates had not filed a report as of Oct. 29.<\/p>\n
The most recent campaign finance reports \u2014 as well as those filed Sept. 25, covering a nearly three-month period<\/a> \u2014 give a glimpse of the capital going into winning city offices.<\/p>\n However, a full picture of the costs candidates spent to make their cases to the public won’t be known until January, when all candidates must file a new report.<\/p>\n Candidates frequently get their largest donations, and make their biggest buys, in the eight days leading up to Election Day, this year on Nov. 3.<\/p>\n Below are some of the highlights on the finances backing candidates running for nine seats on the City Council.<\/p>\n The mayoral race<\/p>\n Incumbent Mayor Paulette Guajardo in the most recent reporting period substantially out-fundraised, out-spent and out-saved her six challengers in the race, according to city documents.<\/p>\n Her Oct. 26 campaign finance report shows Guajardo having accepted more than $82,000 in contributions, with expenditures totaling more than $22,000 and another $133,000 left in the bank.<\/p>\n The second- and third-highest recorded contributions were secured by current City Councilwoman Kaylynn Paxson and David Ainsworth Sr. Their documentation shows political donations of about $7,700 and $7,300, respectively.<\/p>\n Ainsworth was the second-highest spender to Guajardo in the past month at about $14,700, leaving about $1,400 left in the coffer, according to his paperwork.<\/p>\n Paxson, in her filing, is shown as paying about $8,100 for campaign-related materials and services, with $5,600 remaining as of Oct. 24.<\/p>\n Current City Councilman Gil Hernandez has amassed the second-highest amount of money remaining on hand in the mayoral race at about $36,500, according to his documentation.<\/p>\n He garnered contributions of about $4,800 and made expenditures of about $3,400 on his campaign in the past month, records show.<\/p>\n Dave Heasley’s report listed contributions of about $330, with about $560 spent and about $760 in funds remaining.<\/p>\n No campaign finance reports were shown on the city secretary’s website as of the morning of Oct. 29 for candidates Chelise Hyatt and John Calkusic.<\/p>\n Big spending<\/p>\n Spending in at-large races can be similar to the money shelled out in the mayoral races, political experts say, because, like the mayor’s race, candidates are lobbying for support from voters across the entire city, as opposed to specific geographical areas like the district race.<\/p>\n There are three at-large seats on the council, which are won by plurality vote instead of majority.<\/p>\n Reports for two incumbents in the at-large race indicated financing that significantly exceeded those of the 14 other candidates. \u00a0<\/p>\n In the at-large race, the candidate reporting the highest volume of contributions was Mark Scott, with about $45,600 \u2014 more than double the second-highest contribution amount in the race.<\/p>\n He also reported spending the most at about $97,500. The second-highest spender was fellow incumbent Carolyn Vaughn, who reported paying about $81,400 in campaign costs.<\/p>\n Records state Scott has about $7,000 left in his treasury, and Vaughn about $8,100.<\/p>\n The closest candidate in contributions behind Scott was Merida Nardone Mendoza, whose paperwork showed receipt of about $18,400 in political donations.<\/p>\n Money in the districts<\/p>\n There are five districts in the city, with four of the district council seats lacking incumbents.<\/p>\n The biggest bucks for any singular district candidate are going into the only race with an incumbent: District 3, where City Councilman Eric Cantu reported contributions of nearly $52,000, expenditures at about $19,500 and nearly $18,000 left in his campaign coffer.<\/p>\n His challenger, Robert Rocha, shows as the candidate among all five districts as having the most remaining funds on hand, at about $37,400.<\/p>\n Rocha reported about $21,600 in contributions in the past month, with expenditures totaling about $2,500.<\/p>\n A campaign finance report for the third candidate in the District 3 race, Jessica Villarreal, was not posted as of the morning of Oct. 29.<\/p>\n Kirsten Crow covers city government and water news. Have a story idea? Contact her at kirsten.crow@caller.com.<\/p>\n Consider supporting local journalism with a\u00a0subscription to the Caller-Times<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n