Fulop is Strong Out of the Gate in Fundraising for 2013 Mayoral Election
By Jon Whiten • May 4th, 2010 • Category: Blog, News, Politics
While the 2013 mayoral election is still three years away, Ward E councilman Steven Fulop is already building up a war chest as he aims to move up Jersey City’s political ladder.
Fulop currently has $283,199 $251,560 on hand, according to 2010 Quarter 1 filings with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). His campaign has brought in $347,996 so far, including $116,487 transferred from his 2009 council campaign and a $100,000 loan from Fulop to the campaign.
The councilman raised $71,626 in the 1st quarter, most of which came from a big $250-a-head fundraiser he held at Puccini’s in February. Fulop has also been spending, with $64,209 coming out of the campaign so far for school board election materials, the aforementioned Puccini’s event and other, more mundane, campaign expenses.
The only other candidates currently filing 2013 reports for mayor are incumbent Mayor Jerramiah Healy and good government activist and 2009 candidate Dan Levin.
Healy has $14,429 on hand, having brought in $50,380 so far (all from the ’09 campaign) and spending $35,951. In 2009, Healy spent more than $3 million to win re-election.
Levin has raised $600 so far, including $11 transferred from his 2009 campaign. He has $50 on hand, having spent $551 at this point. He had no activity — in or out — in the first quarter.
As for rumored candidate Peter Brennan, the council president’s ELEC report still says he is seeking to retain his Council At-Large seat in 2013 (he could potentially transfer the money into a mayoral campaign account later on). Brennan has $34,122 on hand, having brought over $51,789 from his 2009 campaign and having spent $17,443 so far.
The only other council candidate currently filing paperwork for 2013 is Ward A councilman Michael Sottolano, who brought over $9,903 from his previous campaign, and has $6,351 left after spending $3,552 up to this point.
Of course, we won’t have to wait until 2013 for a council race, with a special election in Ward B set for this November. Current councilman David Donnelly, who stepped in to fill Phil Kenny’s seat after Kenny pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges in October, will seek to win enough votes to keep his spot on the council until 2013. He’s the only potential Ward B candidate that’s filed with ELEC, having raised $4,645 and spent $2,333 so far.
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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