Cash has flowed into the Carmel mayoral election with both candidates adding to their fundraising prior to the May 5 Republican primary.
Pre-primary campaign finance reports for 2015 have been released for Hamilton County, showing that Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard raised $115,196 in campaign cash in 2015, compared to his challenger, City Council President Rick Sharp, who collected $65,252.
Brainard spent $155,373, including on TV political ads and campaign mailers, while Sharp spent $88,813 on TV ads and mailers.
Sharp’s top contributor was Stuart Reed of Magnolia Health Systems, who donated $10,000. Craig May, of Royal Pin Bowling, donated $5,000.
Brainard received money from Pedcor, a Carmel-based developer responsible for the Carmel City Center and the Indiana Design Center, which donated $5,000 and three top executives from the company also donated $5,000 each.
Some Pedcor projects, such as the City Center, have received financial backing from the city. A parking garage for phase two of City Center is being paid for through tax increment financing. Brainard supported the project and Sharp voted against it, but it ultimately passed 4-3.
Brainard also received $2,000 from American Specialty Health, a company that recently relocated its corporate headquarters from San Diego to Carmel.
Funding
Here’s how much other municipal candidates raised according to their 2015 reports, including cash on hand to start the period.
- John Accetturo – $7,208.81
- Laura Campbell – $8,410.48
- Ron Carter – $23,832.91
- Diana Cordray – $15,557.22
- Sue Finkam – $19,324.02
- Keith Griffin – $3,936.58
- Ron Houck – $2,225.00
- Bruce Kimball – $7,350.00
- Christine Pauley – $16,875.00
- Kevin “Woody” Rider – $42,781.76
- Carol Schleif – $1,521.25
- Eric Seidensticker – $9,553.38
- Luci Snyder – $24,347.12
- Jeff Worrell – $20,539.61
