Less Than $130,000 Spent in Fall Races

Only two candidates in the fall City Council race spent more than $25,000, while the three winners together spent less than $65,000, according to final campaign disclosure forms.

The 13 candidates, who filed their final fund-raising and spending reports this week, collectively spent less than $130,000 in the Nov. 3 contest, a far cry from the nearly $500,000 spent during the unsuccessful attempt to unseat now-retired Councilwoman Elois Zeanah only a year earlier.

Leading the pack in both spending and fund-raising efforts was Councilman Andy Fox, who had led both spending and fund-raising during his first council election four years earlier, when he finished first in a field of 16 candidates.

This time Fox finished second, behind newly elected Councilman Dennis Gillette, who spent just $423 over his pledged limit of $25,000. Fox spent nearly $28,000 in his reelection bid. More than $1,200 of that, however, went to an election night party in which he celebrated his victory with his supporters.

Trailing far behind those spending levels was upset winner Dan Del Campo, who captured his council seat after spending only $11,220.