First campaign filings show Adler coming out strong in re-election fundraising

Campaign finance reports reveal that Austin Mayor Steve Adler is the only member of the City Council who has begun seriously fundraising for re-election.

Adler raised more than a quarter of a million dollars in just two months of campaigning. According to a report filed Wednesday with the Office of the City Clerk, he fundraised $283,163.54. The mayor still owes himself more than $449,000, which he loaned his campaign during his first bid for office in 2014.

Local government candidates who raised money in 2017 were required to file a report by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Former City Council Member Laura Morrison, who announced she is running against Adler last week, did not have to file.

In addition to the mayor, five City Council seats are up for re-election in November, including the posts of Ora Houston, Ann Kitchen, Pio Renteria, Ellen Troxclair and Kathie Tovo. According to their campaign filing reports, only Tovo, Renteria and Troxclair began fundraising last year – though minimally. None of the incumbents raised more than $1,100 for their re-election campaigns.

Local political action committees were also required to file finance reports yesterday. Let Us Vote Austin, a PAC that wants CodeNEXT to be put on the ballot, raised more than $9,000. More than $3,000 of that money came from Fred Lewis, the group’s campaign treasurer.