Money still drives mayoral campaigns

Published 10:57 pm Monday, October 27, 2008

Mayoral incumbent Linda Johnson continues to outrun the field in spending, putting out nearly $6 for every dollar rival Michael Debranski spent in the first two weeks of October.

Johnson, who received more than $13,000 from 104 donors during the period, spent about $21,650. About $19,830 of it went to a Richmond-based advertising firm for the production and printing of mailers.

Johnson’s contributors included a warehouse/office space leasing company, the Hampton Roads Realtors Association Political Action Committee, a realtor and a construction business. For a full list of contributors, see below.

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Debranski, who took in $850, spent about $3,657. All but $315 of it went to the Suffolk News-Herald and Virginian-Pilot for advertisements.

Tom Powell Jr., another candidate, received close to $9,500 from donors in October. He spent about $3,130, and still has an unpaid debt to himself of more than $5,800.

Dwight Nixon spent about $2,000 on campaign signs and a radio advertisement. He received about $386.

Former mayor Andrew Damiani also spent about $1,600 – for newspaper advertisements.

Competitor Roger Leonard did not spend or receive any money so far in October, according to his report.

Suffolk mayor

Andrew Damiani

Total contributions to date – $9,624

Total contributions this period – $550

Direct contributions this period over $100

Griffin and Pappas – $500

In-kind contributions over $100

None

Total expenditures this period – $2,033.28

Top two expenditures

Virginian-Pilot – newspaper insert advertisement – $1,395.53

Suffolk News-Herald – newspaper insert – $225

Michael Debranski

Total contributions to date – $24,308.99

Total contributions this period – $850

Direct contributions this period over $100

Stephen L. Huber – $250

Jane O’Connor Smith – $300

Suffolk Educational Political Action Committee – $150

In-kind contributions over $100

None

Total expenditures this period – $3,656.84

Top two expenditures

Virginian-Pilot – advertisement – $1,750

Suffolk News-Herald – advertisement – $1,366.84

Linda Johnson

Total contributions to date – $81,951.47

Total contributions this period – 13,755.39

Direct contributions this period over $100

Accident Specialists of Virginia Inc. – $150

James C. Adams – $500

ADS Management Group – $200

Challenger Development LLC – $500

Charlie Jones Inc. – $500

Larry Chavis – $250

Greenway Farms LTD – $500

Michael T. Haas – $500

Hampton Roads Realtors Association Political Action Committee – $1,000

Joseph Smith LTD – $200

John W. Leggett Jr. – $200

Newsome Air Conditioning Company Inc. – $500

Ocean Construction Services Inc. – $500

Pepperdine Properties – $150

Sage Real Estate Fund III LP – $500

Suffolk Professional Firefighers – $1,900

Jesse and Mary Williams – $500

Robert and Judith Williams – $500

In-kind contributions over $100

Kennety C. Bleck – barbecue dinner – $750

Dan and Betty Holly – pig pickin’ – $1,000

Total expenditures this period – $21,650.58

Top two expenditures

Creative Direct – printing, producing, consulting, mailers – $19,830

Angel Hinton – campaign workers, distribution of materials – $700

Roger A. Leonard

Leonard had no contributions or expenditures this period.

Dwight Nixon

Total contributions to date – $6,764.58

Total contributions this period – $386.25

Direct contributions this period over $100

None

In-kind contributions over $100

None

Total expenditures this period – $2,252

Top two expenditures

Zeez Signs and Corporation – campaign signs – $1,396

WGPL Radio Station – broadcast advertisement – $520

Thomas Powell Jr.

Total contributions to date – $43,079.64

Total contributions this period – $9,467

Direct contributions this period over $100

Margaret W. Gartman – $500

Tele-Video Productions Inc. – $250

In-kind contributions over $100

The Addison Group – flyers, event costs, advertising, mailing, staffing – $2,085

Liskey and Sons Printing, Inc. – printing -$977

Gecko Productions – production services – $4,000

Robert M. Moore jr. – CPA services – $640

Total expenditures this period – $3,129.51

Top two expenditures

The Addison Group – postage reimbursement – $2,511.62

The Catering Place – catering for campaign event – $306.75