Lansing City Council Race: Newcomer Tops Fundraising Charts

Overview of Lansing City Election Fundraising

Campaign finance reports have been filed in Lansing, providing insight into the financial backing behind the city council and mayoral races this year. These reports, due on July 25, cover fundraising activity from January through July 2023.

Jeremy Garza, a sitting Ward 2 council member running for an at-large seat, has led in fundraising with $48,050, which is double that of any other candidate. This figure highlights his strong support within the community, particularly from organizations rather than individual donors.

At-Large Council Seats

With two at-large seats up for grabs and 10 candidates in the race, Garza's fundraising strategy stands out. His contributions are primarily from unions and organizations, with the exception of one $50 donation. The Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 333 union, which he helps lead as vice president, contributed $24,500, the largest single donation in the city this cycle. This amount alone surpasses what any other candidate raised overall.

Garza's average donation came from 14 organizations and one individual, totaling around $3,200 per contribution. The runner-up in the fundraising race, Clara Martinez, collected $21,650 from over 150 individual donors. Martinez received support from notable figures such as Mayor Andy Schor, council member Peter Spadafore, developer Pat Gillespie, and Lansing Board of Water and Light General Manager Dick Peffley.

Two other candidates, Julie Vandenboom and Aurelius Christian, each reported raising around $14,500. Tirstan Walters raised almost $8,000, with more than a third of that coming from his own funds. His donors include sitting council members Garza, Adam Hussain, and Ryan Kost. Gloria Denning reported raising $600, with $2,472 in in-kind contributions.

Two candidates, Jonah Stone and Olivia Vaden, did not file reports, leaving their fundraising activities unknown.

Mayoral Race

Mayor Andy Schor is leading in the mayoral race, having raised $97,752 between January 1 and July 20, with about $85,318 spent. He currently has $191,800 on hand. However, two of the five candidates, David Ellis and Kelsea Hector, have not filed election reports in several months, meaning the public lacks information on their fundraising or expenses.

Ellis mentioned in a Facebook post that he is working with the county to get an extension for his report. Hector stated they have not yet reached the $1,000 fundraising mark but expect to submit filings soon. Brett Brockschmidt reported raising $535 and spending $1,440, mostly from his own pocket. Jeffrey Brown, a sitting council member running for mayor, reported raising $2,500, including $1,100 from himself.

Ward-Specific Campaigns

In the 2nd ward, neither candidate, Erik Almquist and Deyanira Nevarez Martinez, filed a report this cycle. Both are uncontested in the August Primary election.

For the 4th ward, all three candidates filed reports. Sitting council member Peter Spadafore, who is running for a ward seat instead of his current at-large seat, has the financial advantage. He raised $18,021 and reported a balance of almost $11,000 on hand. Heath Lowry, an attorney, raised $4,795, with more than half of that from himself, and has $535 on hand. Zacharie Spurlock, a bartender and challenger, reported about $1,414 in expenses and no outside contributions.