By Tom Momberg
Republican City Council candidate Joe Concannon, who has raised over $121,000 for his campaign, has outspent his Democratic opponent Barry Grodenchik, who has raised more than $220,000, by 5-to-1 in the last month, according to city Campaign Finance Board disclosure reports.
Although Grodenchik has outspent his GOP opponent 4-to-1 through the election cycle as a whole, he apparently toned down his campaign efforts after winning the primary in September.
Grodenchik’s Democratic primary campaign against five other candidates, accounted for most of his expenses, which were reported prior to Sept. 10.
The latest campaign finance and expenditure disclosure statements were due Oct. 2 and included data from each campaign up through Sept. 28. Concannon has reported nearly $25,600 in expenditures since the primary. Grodenchik reported spending just over $6,300 since the primary.
Grodenchik was not only outspent by his Republican opponent on the latest disclosure statements, but also by three of the Democratic candidates who opposed him in the primary.
Rebecca Lynch, who will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot on the Working Families Party line, has reported spending over $19,000 since the primary election. Her own party said she was no longer running a campaign since she lost the primary, yet she outspent everyone but Concannon after Sept. 10.
Lynch’s spokeswoman did not respond to questions about the spending.
Democratic primary candidates Celia Dosamantes and Ali Najmi did not report expenditures since the primary. But Bob Friedrich and Satnam Singh Parhar reported spending nearly $11,000 and $9,050, respectively.
Grodenchik has raised and spent more campaign funds than any other candidate in the race throughout the election cycle. As of Sept. 28, he had raised over $85,000 in private funds. And in addition to the maximum $100,100 credited to his campaign in the primary from the CFB’s matching funds program, which matches 6-to-1 from the city’s general fund any money raised from private city residents, Grodenchik has been given an additional $35,260 for the general election.
After Grodenchik’s more than $187,500 in expenditures, his estimated remaining campaign balance is just over $32,800, according to the CFB.
Concannon raised nearly $26,200 in private funds and was recently given $95,095 from the matching funds program. After his $45,800 in expenditures, his estimated remaining campaign balance is nearly $75,500, according to the CFB.
Any remaining funds at the end of the election will be reviewed by the CFB, and must be returned to the city up to the amount the candidates received in matching funds.
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
