Holden war chest 20 times more than foes’

• By SCOTT DYER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Sep 23, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Mayor-President Kip Holden’s campaign war chest was 20 times larger than the total of his three opponents’ combined, according to the latest campaign finance reports.

Holden’s report showed that he raised $91,244 in contributions between June 26 and Aug. 25, spent $17,043 on campaign-related expenses, and had a total of $387,615 in campaign funds on hand at the end of the reporting period.

By contrast, all three of Holden’s opponents reported a combined total of $17,803 in campaign funds on hand as of Aug. 25.

One of the opponents, Metro Councilman Wayne Carter, said he thinks Holden is putting too much emphasis on money.

“I don’t think we have to spend a lot of money to beat him,” Carter said of Holden.

Holden said much of his contributions have come from people who didn’t support him in the last election, but like the job he’s doing as mayor.

Holden said his opponents’ lack of financial support shows that they are out of touch with the public.

“I’m just glad I’m no longer on the chitlin circuit,” Holden joked when asked about his war chest Monday.

“When I first started out in politics, I used to raise money by selling chitlin dinners, fried fish dinners and fried chicken dinners,” Holden said.

In his report, Democrat Ron Johnson said he raised $18,740 in cash contributions and made a $750 loan to his campaign. Johnson did not have a recap page in his filing with the Ethics Board, but the total funds after his $11,566 in expenditures comes to $7,924.

Johnson said his position is not unlike the one Holden was in four years ago. Holden’s campaign funds took off once he got into a runoff election against former Mayor-President Bobby Simpson four years ago.

“I really expect the same thing to happen with the campaign when I get into a runoff,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s contributors included the Cleo Fields Campaign Committee ($1,500). Cleo Field was also listed as providing Johnson’s campaign with a $200 in-kind contribution in the form of tent.