Elicker Tops $140K

So when Harp said she was entering the race "too late to compete using the Democracy Fund", what she really meant was "most of money isn't coming from people who live and work in New Haven anyway".

Sounds about right.

NHI, what happens to all the money that Holder-Winfield and Nemerson raised, now that they are out of the race? How much was that amount?

Congratulations to Mr. Elicker and Senator Harp. I'm certain that both of their numbers of "New Haven" donors will continue to swell. However, I'd like to be certain that to date Mr. Elicker has actually raised is $98,000. It is important to note that taxpayers have contributed just shy of 1/3 of the total money his campaign has "raised."

I understand that the Democracy Fund may play an important or strategic role in opening government access to all citizens, but it is also costly in a city that is looking to shrink its budget. For those who make complaints about regressive taxes, those same taxes are used to pay for Mr. Elicker's campaign. And for everyone who does not vote for him or want him to be their mayor, this is just another item we are taxed for and not receiving any benefit from.

This is awesome. The little people trump the machine and all those special interests. Great news!

omg I am afraid to get excited...but I can not help it....is an honest man going to be out mayor?? OMG Go Justin power to the people of New Haven....we desever a mayor that will actually be truthful and listen to us!

Justin Elicker, issued a release Tuesday afternoon stating that he has raised $143,000 to date from more than 870 donors, 77 percent of whom live in New Haven. Average contribution: $87. The total includes $44,900 in money from the Democracy Fund

vs.

He added that at least 145 of the total of about 500 donations were in small amounts from city-based contributors. According to a release from the Harp campaign, 80 percent of donations were for $250 or less, amounting to about $45,000, or 38 percent of the total.


Hmm, one candidate received most of their donations in small amounts from people who live in the city and joined the public finance campaign so PAC money couldn't be taken. The other did the complete inverse of that. This should be a red flag on who to vote for(or not vote for) even before getting into policy positions.

Atticus Shrugged, you are correct. Harp HAS raised another $20,000 more than Justin so far.

Guess she didn't NEED to opt out of the Democracy Fund after all.

I wonder how much it will cost New Haven to give back to all her out-of-town and PAC contributors in kick-backs and no-bid contracts if she wins the race? Millions maybe?

Atticus- that's all you got?? That some of our tax dollars go to opening doors to other citizens who might run- vs big money donors to the entrenched politicians?
I am an avid Carolina supporter but I respect and admire Elicker for what he has accompished. When the donor sheets are out, let's connect some dots and see where Harp is getting her money.

Looks like the Elicker campaign is running out of steam. It raised considerably less in the second quarter then it did in the first, this is the sign of a campaign in a tail spin.

It looks like the donors dried up once it became clear he didn't have chance.

This is good news for democracy. Congratulations to the Elicker campaign.

am I reading this right? New Haven citizen contributions;

Elicker 77%
Harp 29%

WOW

Let's be very clear about what this means. This is New Haven Democratic machine, pay-to-play, old school politics versus a truly grassroots candidate who has built his constituency through advocacy and trying to make local government work for people (not against). And I worked for Toni Harp for several years at Hill Health Center as a healthcare provider in the homeless health division. She's a very nice woman. But she does not bring new, innovative, or creative ideas to the table. Nor, unfortunately, is she a particularly effective manager. Sometimes you need someone who is a bit of an outsider to shake things up. Toni is too much of an insiders, too many debts and old favors (an I'm sure a few skeletons) to really change New Haven. Elicker has already shown he has the intelligence, temperment, and passion to make change happen in this city.

DownTownNewHaven, or his supporters came out early because they really belive in him and what he stands for. Which is very different from; looks like she might win, I better give generously just in case.

Atticus Shrugged, I can look at the $1000 I gave JK, and say, "I'll never see that again" Or, I can see how his serious challenge got JD to do his job properly, and to retire, and say, "Money well spent." Curious is right, the real cost PAC money and all that is far greater than The Democray Fund.

Nominating this man for mayor would be the best thing to happen to New Haven in decades.

Elicker 77% local
Harp 29% local

Says a lot.

@ Front Street

God, I hope you are right. But part of me sees this as a tactic. Bowing out of the democracy fund has been one of Harps biggest blunders from a PR stance. The next round of fundraising reporting is going to be under far less scrutiny based on it's location on the calendar, correct? Between then and now I fear the floodgates from special interest group "dues realocation" are going to open.

Not that they NEED to. They don't need to report anything stamped with "unafiliated with any campaign or committee" and arranged with a wink and a nod.

BUT, I hope you are right and I am just being a cynical jerk... again. Elicker steering this town would be like dropping penecilin the the petri dish.

Bravo to Team Elicker.

@Atticus: the Democracy Fund is not just about making it possible for anyone to seek public office. Elicker has a very broad base of support and does not need the Democracy Fund in order to run. The Fund also aims to eliminate pay-to-play politics by taking PAC and special interest $ out of the election. The real $ costs of pay-to-play politics are enormous. Certainly far greater that the modest payouts of the Democracy Fund. So anyone truly concerned about shrinking the city's budget should support the Democracy Fund. Candidates who participate in the Democracy Fund help ALL of us, whether we support them or not.

Also, to the NHI: why is this a sidebar story? Certainly it's much more important than Fernandez harping about Keno, which got prime billing for days. This is a victory for substance over hype, for the people over the machines and monied interests. It's HUGE news for New Haven.