Council war-chest update: Watson and Norwood raise six figures, Arthur Blank scatters his cash

The financial picture can give voters a snapshot of who’s serious enough about their race to raise cash. Or just who’s well connected.

There’s less than one month until Atlanta’s municipal elections and plenty of races remain up for grabs. The latest campaign finance reports, which were released today, give some insight into who’s funding the competitive races.

As we noted last week, most Atlanta City Council seats are being contested this election, with only Councilmembers Kwanza Hall, Yolanda Adrean, C.T. Martin, and Michael Julian Bond running unopposed. And while every challenger doesn’t pose a threat, the financial picture can give voters a snapshot of who’s serious enough about their race to raise cash. Or just who’s well connected.

It’s looking like the two most competitive races, money-wise, are for Post 2 At-Large and Post 3 At-Large seats, which are elected by voters across the city. Despite mounting an unexpected campaign that kicked off in late August, former Atlanta City Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Mary Norwood went toe-to-toe with Councilwoman Aaron Watson, respectively raising $108,985 and $110,679. A large chunk of Norwood’s contributions, judging from disclosures, came in smaller amounts from self-described retirees and homemakers. Watson received sizable donations from the Atlanta Falcons leadership, Fuqua Development, airport concessionaires, stadium architects, and other corporations. The incumbent has the larger war chest by more than $30,000.

After being out-raised last period by his lone opponent Andre Dickens, Councilman H. Lamar Willis doubled down on his fundraising and brought in $71,560. That’s nearly $18,000 more than Dickens, a first-time candidate. The embattled councilman, who yesterday saw his license to practice law in Georgia be stripped, got a boost from H.J. Russell & Company and Selig Enterprises. But airport concessionaires were far and away his strongest support with more than $16,000 in contributions this period. Dickens reported smaller individual donations. And his disclosures also confirm the well-reported fact that he’s backed by former Mayor Shirley Franklin and her family.

Here’s a few interesting other observations from the rest of the Council races:

- Councilman Ivory Young, whose district includes Vine City, English Avenue, and other neighborhoods that might see new development from the proposed Atlanta Falcons stadium, received $2,500 from Fuqua Development and $1,000 from Selig Enterprises.
- Councilwoman Cleta Winslow was the only incumbent who has not submitted her campaign disclosures yet. But her opponent Torry Lewis didn’t raise any contributions during this period.
- Matt Rinker and Christian Enterkin, challengers for the District 5 Council seat, each raised more than $13,000, but still trail Councilwoman Natalyn Archibong, who has $29,455 cash on hand.
- Falcons owner Arthur Blank chipped in $500 to help out Councilmembers Archibong, Wan, Shook, Moore, Martin, Bottoms, Sheperd, Bond, and Watson. Worth noting: Shook, Moore, and Wan voted against allowing the use of the city’s hotel and motel tax to help fund the Falcons stadium.
- Mayor Kasim Reed only contributed to one Councilmember’s campaign: Natalyn Archibong
- Councilman C.T. Martin raised $52,875 even though he has no opponent in this year’s election

You can see each candidate’s financial reports, along with notable contributors, after the jump. Multiple contributions from the same company have been combined to simplify things.

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Council President
Ceasar Mitchell
Total contributions reported this period: $94,687
Cash on hand: $123,535.39
Notable contributors (full list): Frontier Development and Hospitality Group CEO and President Evens Charles ($2,500); H.J. Russell and Company ($1,000); Herman J. Russell Sr. ($500); Selig Enterprises ($1,000); The Coca-Cola Company attorney Cheryl Turner ($2,500)

Rachele Fruit
Total contributions reported this period: $1,355
Cash on hand: $125
Notable contributors (full list): No contributions

District 1
Carla Smith
Total contributions reported this period: $7,960
Cash on hand: $20,682
Notable contributors (full list): Councilman Kwanza Hall ($500), H.J. Russell & Company ($500), Coca-Cola Company PAC ($250), Clear Channel Outdoor Inc. ($500), Atlanta Taxicab Owners Association ($500)

Robert Zachary Welsh
Total contributions reported this period: $2,800.61
Cash on hand: $878.40
Notable contributors (full list): Georgia Alliance for Children President Rick McDevitt ($250)

Bill Powell
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

District 2
Kwanza Hall
Total contributions reported this period: $5,950
Cash on hand: $96.301.58
Notable contributors (full list): Retired real estate developer Doina Mandoche ($2,500), Airport concessionaires and their families ($2,000 - Mack II)

District 3
Ivory Young
Total contributions reported this period: $10,975
Cash on hand: $17,237
Notable contributors (full list): Goode Van Slyke Architecture ($500); Selig Enterprises ($1,000); Fuqua Development ($2,500); Herman J. Russell, Sr. ($500); Russell New Urban Development, LLC ($1,000); Airport concessionaires and their families ($1,150 - National Concessions International, LLC; Concessions / H&H, Joint Venture)

Darrion Fletcher
Total contributions reported this period: $200
Cash on hand: $0
Notable contributors (full list): Self-employed investor “Mr. Duffy” ($200)

Patricia Harris-Crayton
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

District 4
Cleta Winslow
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

Torry Lewis
Total contributions reported this period: $0
Cash on hand: $0
Notable contributors (full list): None

DeBorah Sister Williams
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

District 5
Natalyn Archibong
Total contributions reported this period: $20,105
Cash on hand: $29,455.35
Notable contributors (full list): Columbia Residential, LLC ($2,500); Committee to Re-Elect C.T. Martin ($500); Committee to Elect Michael Julian Bond ($500); Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh Architect Christoper Leerssen ($500); Real Estate Developer Alan McRae ($1,000); Arthur Blank ($500); Mayor Kasim Reed ($2,500)

Christian Enterkin
Total contributions reported this period: $13,242
Cash on hand: $9,089.94
Notable contributors (full list): Christian Enterkin ($1,000), Steve Enterkin ($850), Adam Enterkin ($510), Airport concessionaires and their families ($4,900 - Hojeij Branded Foods), Landmark Dividend ($1,000), Joe’s on Juniper ($722)

Jon Jones
Total contributions reported this period: $0
Cash on hand: $0
Notable contributors (full list): None

John Paul Michalik
Total contributions reported this period: $0
Cash on hand: ($1,184.19)
Notable contributors (full list): None

Matt Rinker
Total contributions reported this period: $8,617
Cash on hand: $13,368.06
Notable contributors (full list): Roger Rinker ($1,000), Josh Morris ($1,000), Melissa Rinker ($1,000)

District 6
Alex Wan
Total contributions reported this period: $29,584
Cash on hand: $86,550.04
Notable contributors (full list): ACT Investments, Atlanta Chinatown Investments, and company employees ($2,999); Arthur Blank ($500); BevPAC ($250); IW Group Chairman Bill Imada ($2,500); A Legendary Event owner Tony Conway ($2,500)

Tracey Austin
Total contributions reported this period: $4,401
Cash on hand: $2919.80
Notable contributors (full list): The Mabra Firm, LLC ($1,000); R.A.T. Enterprises, LLC ($1,000); Airport concessionaires and their families ($750 - Mack II)

Michael Patrick Boyle
Total contributions reported this period: $9,050
Cash on hand: $7,317
Notable contributors (full list): Michael Boyle and spouse ($5,000), Greenville Health System Dr. William Curran ($2,500)

District 7
Howard Shook
Total contributions reported this period: $1,400
Cash on hand: $90,112.46
Notable contributors (full list): Arthur Blank ($500)

Bobby Montgomery
Total contributions reported this period: $1,225
Cash on hand: $498.66
Notable contributors (full list): Eleavon Project Manager William Cameron ($250), Pharmacist Reginald Andrews ($250), Physical Therapist Corhonda Bolton ($250)

Abid Haque
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

District 8
Yolanda Adrean
Total contributions reported this period: $7,160
Cash on hand: $25,129.25
Notable contributors (full list): Invesco Mortgage Capital Chairman James Balloun ($1,000), Georgia Better Government Fund ($1,000), Henri’s Bakery Owner Madeline Leonard ($1,000), Wilson Hull and Neal’s Bruce Wilson ($1,000)

District 9
Felicia Moore
Total contributions reported this period: $12,094
Cash on hand: $18,280.08
Notable contributors (full list): Ceasar Mitchell for Our Atlanta ($500); Wilson, Brock & Irby ($1,000); Georgia Better Government Fund PAC ($1,000); Arthur Blank ($500)

Duwon Robinson
Total contributions reported this period: $0
Cash on hand: $0
Notable contributors (full list): None

District 10
C.T. Martin
Total contributions reported this period: $52,875
Cash on hand: $102,236.08
Notable contributors (full list): Roy Barnes ($1,000), Hollis & Company President Julius Hollis ($2,500), Committee to Elect Michael Julian Bond ($500), PARKAtlanta parent company Duncan Parking ($1,000), Kwanza Hall for City Council District 2 ($500), Arthur Blank ($500), Hank Aaron’s Restaurant Corp. and spouse ($5,000), Airport concessionaires and their families ($4,500 - Atlanta Restaurant Partners, LLC; Hojeij Branded Foods)

District 11
Keisha Lance Bottoms
Total contributions reported this period: $20,150
Cash on hand: $125,612.04
Notable contributors (full list): Arthur Blank ($500), 755 Restaurant Corporation President Victor Haydel ($1,000), Resurgens Risk Management Inc. ($2,500), The Coca-Cola Company Georgia Political Action Fund ($250), Airport concessionaires and their families ($3,000 - Concessions/H&H, J.V.; Global Concessions, Inc.)

Ron Shakir
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

District 12
Joyce Sheperd
Total contributions reported this period: $6,700
Cash on hand: $25,209.20
Notable contributors (full list): Arthur Blank ($500), BevPac ($250), Screen Gems Executive Kris Bagwell ($1,000), Resurgens Risk Management, Inc. ($500), The Coca-Cola Company/GPAF ($250)

Michael Jackson
Total contributions reported this period: n/a
Cash on hand: n/a
Notable contributors (full list): n/a

Post 1 At-Large
Michael Julian Bond
Total contributions reported this period: $6,850
Cash on hand: $42,810.86
Notable contributors (full list): Clear Channel ($500), Arthur Blank ($500), Lohrasb Jafari and spouse ($5,000)

Post 2 At-Large
Aaron Watson
Total contributions reported this period: $110,679
Cash on hand this period: $109,074.99
Notable contributors (full list): Arthur Blank ($500), Atlanta Falcons CEO Rich McKay ($250) Jeff Fuqua ($2,500), Delta-PAC ($500), Clear Channel Outdoor ($500), Christopher Goode of Goode Van Slyke Architecture ($2,400), Atlanta Housing Authority CEO Renne Glover ($800), Jackmont Hospitality Restauranteur Daniel J. Halpern ($1,000), Yellow Cab of GA ($1,000), Airport concessionaires and their families ($8,000 - Global Concessions, Inc., Roberson and Reynolds Food and Beverage Management Services, Goldberg Concessions Goldberg Concessions, Creative Concourse Concepts, LLC, Hojeij Branded Foods)

Mary Norwood
Total contributions reported this period: $108,985
Cash on hand this period: $77,546.20
Notable contributors (full list): Northside Corporation ($2,500), former NDCHealth Corp. and Global Payments Inc. exec Robert A. Yellowlees and spouse ($5,000), Ford Commercial ($1,000),

Post 3 At-Large
H. Lamar Willis:
Total contributions reported this period: $71,560
Cash on hand: $45,089.24
Notable contributors (full list): Herman Russell ($500), H.J. Russell & Company ($500), Clear Channel ($500), Selig Enterprises ($2,000), Benchmark Management ($2,000), Airport concessionaires and their families ($16,500 - Master Concession Air LLC, Global Concessions Inc., NC Travel Hospitality Services Inc., Tersylbra Inc., Concessions/H&H, J.V., Mack II, Hojeij Branded Foods)

Andre Dickens
Total contributions reported this period: $53,563.88
Cash on hand: $61,590.73
Notable contributors (full list): The Coleman Franklin Group ($1,000), Piedmont Hospital Dr. Christopher Clare ($2,000), Coleman Franklin Group fundraiser Candice Franklin ($2,500.00), Kai Franklin ($750), Kali Franklin ($500), Thurston Properties ($2,600)

The total contributions listed above do not include in-kind donations - just cold, hard cash.