Possible candidate Martin spends $50K exploring run for mayor

Presumptive mayoral candidate Patsy Woods Martin has spent more than $50,000 in exploring a run for mayor of Austin next November, according to a campaign finance report filed Wednesday. While candidates are prohibited from raising money prior to six months before their election, they are allowed to explore a candidacy and spend their own money.

 

Mayor Pro Tem Sheryl Cole and Council Member Mike Martinez, two likely opponents in the race, have spent small amounts from their campaign/officeholder accounts. Two other non-incumbent candidates, attorney Steve Adler and Bill McClellan, the head of Family Eldercare, are also reported to be considering the race but neither have filed a designation of treasurer or a report on spending.

 

Since Cole and Martinez already are in office with officeholder accounts, they were also required to file reports by Wednesday with the City Clerk. Martin designated herself as her own campaign treasurer in November. She has paid Baselice & Associates nearly $42,000 for polling.

 

Martin is the founder of the local non-profit I Live Here, I Give Here. One of her consultants, Robert Jones with GNI Strategies, said via email, “Patsy is a chemist by training and a social entrepreneur and consensus builder at heart so she has approached this process in a thoughtful, analytical way including using her own resources to gather the best data possible.” (Jones is on the board of directors of the Capital of Texas Media Foundation, which owns the Austin Monitor.)