Incumbents have fundraising edge in districts 2 and 4

Looking at fundraising in the final two City Council races not considered in previous reporting in the Austin Monitor, we see two reasonably popular incumbents with every reason to be optimistic about Tuesday’s election.

Regardless of policies, an incumbent almost always has a fundraising advantage. And in races for districts 2 and 4, that continues to be true. In this case, both the Austin American-Statesman and The Austin Chronicle have endorsed the incumbents – Vanessa Fuentes in District 2 and Chito Vela in District 4.

Neither campaign has raised the kind of money we have seen in the mayor’s race. But then, they don’t need it because their opponents have raised even less money, and neither Council member appears to have drawn the wrath of the majority of voters.

Fuentes in District 2 hardly has an opponent, even though Robert Reynolds filed to run against her in July. She has been campaigning and filing the appropriate campaign finance reports. Her opponent has not.

The Austin Bulldog reported that Reynolds is an infrequent voter and has run as a Republican in races against Democrats Eddie Rodriguez and Maria Luisa Flores. Those attempts were unsuccessful.

Fuentes reported raising $8,200 in the past month and spending less than $3,500. She still has more than $99,000 in the bank. Her campaign owes her $4,430, from which she can easily repay herself.

Fuentes is an avid supporter of Travis County Proposition A on the ballot, She donated $2,500 to Affordable Childcare Now!, the group supporting raising property taxes in order to pay for child care for those who cannot otherwise afford it.

In the District 4 race, Vela raised another $10,846 in the month covered by the must recent report, bringing his total to $119,000. He has about $30,000 in the bank. His better-known opponent, Monica Guzmán, raised about $6,700 and spent about $7,300. She reported having about $1,940 left in the bank. Equity Action, which opposed the police contract, endorsed Guzmán and did not endorse in District 2.

The other opponent, Louis Herrin, reported neither raising nor spending campaign funds during the month. He had about $1,845 left at the end of the reporting period.

Vela reported endorsements from the Real Estate Council of Austin, Inc.; Advancing Democracy PAC; and the Austin Board of REALTORS Political Action Committee. Austin Board of Realtors gave him $450. The CWA PAC, Communication Workers of America in Washington, D.C., also donated $450 to Vela.

The Austin Firefighters Association PAC donated $450 to both Vela and Fuentes. The group also made numerous contributions to candidates for the Legislature. Both Vela and Fuentes also received $450 from Vote PAC.

Austin Environmental Democrats divided what they had to contribute among those they endorsed. The group gave Vela and his opponent Guzmán each about $213. They also endorsed Fuentes.

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