Lexington mayor’s race: Kloiber has fundraising lead over Gorton. He gave himself $275K
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilman David Kloiber has raised more money than incumbent Mayor Linda Gorton for the May primary, thanks largely to personal loans to his campaign, campaign finance reports filed this week show.
Kloiber has raised $308, 610 to date with $275,000 coming from two loans from himself -- $20,000 on Jan. 6 and $255,000 on March 3, Kentucky Registry of Election Finance reports show.
Kloiber, who runs the Kloiber Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on education and technology, raised $282,309 this reporting period, which covers fundraising from Jan. 1 to April 17. Kloiber is in his first term as a councilman.
Of that total, $7,299.50 came from donors.
In total, he has raised $20,599.50 from 27 donors.
“Whether it is through the work of my family’s foundation or as a civil servant, I am dedicated to using my resources for the betterment of my community,” Kloiber said. “It is unfortunate that money plays such a large role in our election process, but with how much this city has done for my family, I feel called to give back through continued civil service.”
First-term Mayor Gorton has raised $157,212.64 to date heading into the May 17 primary. She raised $59,710.00 this reporting period.
Gorton has not loaned her campaign any money, according to campaign finance reports. She has raised money from 111 donors .
“I am very proud of my record of unmatched experience and dedication to my re-election campaign,” Gorton said. “ I significantly out raised the other campaigns with a broad range of support from a wide variety of voters. I thank my donors for their trust in me to serve another term.”
In the 2018 race for mayor, Ronnie Bastin, a former Lexington police chief and commissioner of public safety, out-raised Gorton nearly two to one. Gorton, who previously served 16 years on council prior to running for mayor, easily defeated Bastin winning 63 percent of the vote in the general election.
Gorton has $64,406.50 left to spend roughly 30 days prior to the May 17 primary.
Kloiber has $245,018.73.
Adrian Wallace, who runs a community development organization and ran unsuccessfully in the 2018 council at-large race, trails behind Kloiber and Gorton.
Wallace has raised $4,610.00 and has spent $3,094.35, according to campaign finance reports. He has $1,515.65 left to spend. Wallace did not report any fundraising in January. He announced his candidacy in January.
“Coming into this race, we always knew it would be a David versus Goliath scenario, “ Wallace said. “. My fundraising totals illustrate yet again how far unattainable elected office is for everyday folks in America; Lexington is no different. As a small business owner who also has had a tough time making it through the pandemic, I realize that many of the people who would like to contribute to my mayoral campaign simply are unable,” Wallace said.
“ Our grassroots approach is and will always be fueled by the people, the voters, and I’m confident that even with the abysmal fundraising totals represented in the KREF reports, we will emerge victorious on May 17, because it will be the will of the people.,’ he said.
William Weyman, who has run for mayor before, has not filed any campaign finance reports and has not raised money in prior elections.
None of the candidates have received money from political action committees, according to campaign finance reports.
This story was originally published April 20, 2022 at 1:53 PM.
