With the special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by M. Theresa Paiva Weed just a few weeks away (August 22), the four remaining candidates have been slow to raise funds, according to reports their campaigns filed with the state Board of Elections at the end of July.
Dawn Euer, the progressive Democrat who won in a spirited Democratic primary election in June, ended July, according to the campaign finance report, with $5,591.67. Her Republican opponent, Michael Smith, ended July with a balance of $1,638.42. Independent candidate, Kim Ripoli finished July with $1,078.16, and Green Party candidate, Greg Larson, reported a zero balance.
Perhaps more interesting is what’s left in the campaign accounts of the losing Democratic candidates. David Allard, who has contributed to Euer’s campaign, showed a balance at the end of July of $6,232.54 and no liabilities. David Hanos, the school committee chairman who was the endorsed candidate, had a balance at the end of July of $8,700, with $301.98 in liabilities. Councilman John Floez, who primarily financed his own campaign with a $50,000 personal loan, showed a balance at the end of July of $6,794.13, but liabilities of $77,623.52.
According to state law, candidates can use campaign funds for their own campaigns, return the funds to donors, contribute to charity or other contributions to other political campaigns.
Paiva Weed, who had been Senate President, showed a balance at the end of July of $62,426.16. She raised no funds in the period leading up to the late July filing. She did report some charitable contributions, plus a $200 contribution to the Hanos campaign. Paiva Weed’s charitable contributions, included $300 to the Edward King House Senior Center, 250 to the Newport Gulls, $50 to St. Joseph’s Church, $250 to the Economic Progress Institute in Providence, and $50 to the Tomorrow Fund.