Bastin leads in fundraising in mayor's race. See who is supporting the candidates.

First-time candidate Ronnie Bastin leads in fundraising in the seven-way race for Lexington mayor and has the most money heading into the May 22 primary, according to campaign finance reports.

Bastin reported raising $301,711 for the 32-day reporting period that ended April 22, according to election finance statements filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. He reported having $230,085 on hand, more than three times the other three leading candidates for mayor.

Bastin's fundraising total was boosted by a $110,000 personal loan to his campaign.

This is the first time the former Lexington police chief and public safety commissioner has run for office. The three other leading candidates for mayor did not loan their campaigns any money.

Kevin Stinnett, a 14-year Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council member, reported raising more than $210,009 and has $64,203 cash on hand.

Linda Gorton, a former vice mayor and council member, has raised $123, 280 but has $82,108 to spend less than 30 days before the May primary.

Teresa Isaac, a former mayor and vice mayor, is significantly behind the three other leading candidates for mayor. Isaac raised $25,554 but has $20,871 left to spend, according to her campaign finance report. Isaac's fundraising trails her previous campaigns for mayor. In the May 2002 primary, Isaac raised more than $125,310. In the May 2006 primary, she raised $290, 878.

The three other candidates are Ike Lawrence, Skip Horine and William Weyman.

Stinnett's donors includes some of the city's most well-known developers: Dudley Webb and his family, Phil and Lee Greer, Dennis Anderson, Jimmy Nash and other homebuilders. Stinnett also reported receiving $3,000 from several political action committees including one associated with Kentucky American Water. He also received donations from other well-known business and civic leaders including Bill Young of W.T. Young, Anita and Patrick Madden and Craig Turner of CRM Companies.

Many well-known horse and farming interests are backing Gorton, who has been a strong supporter of the purchase of development rights program, which uses taxpayer dollars to purchase conservation easements to protect farmland. Some of Gorton's donors include Greg Goodman, who owns Mount Brilliant Farm, John Phillips of Darby Dan, former Gov. Brereton Jones and his family. Anita Madden also donated money to Gorton's campaign. Gorton, a retired nurse, also received donations from many doctors, nurses and medical professionals.

Bastin, meanwhile, has raised money from many business leaders and their families. Donors include: car dealer Don Jacobs, Terry Forcht of Forcht Bank, Phil Greer, who also supported Stinnett, as well as former mayor Jim Newberry. He also received money from retired police officers, firefighters, current city employees and many lawyers including Kerry Harvey, the former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. University of Kentucky Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart also donated to Bastin's campaign.

Isaac's donors include a mix of lawyers, real estate agents -- including 13 from Keller Williams Bluegrass -- and dozens of retirees.

The top two vote getters in the May 22 primary move on to the November general election. The race is nonpartisian.

There have been no publicly-released polls in the race to replace outgoing Mayor Jim Gray.

History shows that in the Lexington mayoral race, the candidate with the most money does not always win.

In 2002, attorney Scott Crosbie outraised and outspent Issac only to lose to her in November. Crosbie raised $593,291 while Isaac raised a total of $268,100.

All seven of the candidates have said they will appear Monday night at 6 p.m. for a Lexington Herald-Leader, WKYT and League of Women Voters forum at the Lexington Public Library Farish Theater on Main Street. The forum will be streamed on WKYT. com.

This story was originally published May 7, 2018 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Bastin leads in fundraising in mayor's race. See who is supporting the candidates.."