Reed tops in donations for quarter; Norwood has most cash

By Eric Stirgus and D.L. Bennett

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Former state Sen. Kasim Reed won the latest round of the fund-raising sweepstakes in Atlanta's mayoral race, but City Councilwoman Mary Norwood has more cash on hand than her three leading challengers combined.

The candidates had until 5 p.m. Wednesday to deliver reports to city election officials showing how much money they raised between July and September.

Reed raised $446,087.09 in that period. He has raised the most money of any candidate, $1.4 million. But Reed also has spent more than any candidate, nearly $1.2 million.

Norwood, who's leading in the polls, raised about $312,000 during the past three months. She has now raised more than $1.3 million and has $620,594 in cash on hand.

As of Sept. 30, City Council President Lisa Borders had the second-largest amount on hand at $233,786.27, followed by Reed at $213,124.44 and political newcomer Jesse Spikes, with $44,708.50.

Campaign officials for Borders and Reed said they are spending more money on radio and television ads, which they began airing in September. Reed will air a TV commercial Thursday that features former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, who endorsed the former state senator in August.

Norwood showed off her first TV ad Wednesday, a 30-second spot in which she is cruising the city in her 1998 Buick. The commercial emphasizes Norwood's connection to neighborhood residents and their issues.

"I'm running this campaign just like I'd run the city, very frugally," Norwood said.

In what's typically the most critical period of campaign fund-raising, with the election less than four weeks away, each candidate has spent countless hours over the past three months hosting fund-raisers and dialing donors for dollars. The campaigns will need that money to get their message out through TV and radio ads, along with mailings.

Reed had about $436,000 in his campaign war chest at the end of June. He now has $213,124.44. Reed spent $7,433 per day between July and September.

Recent polls suggest Reed is gaining on Borders for second place.

"Lisa Borders continues to fall in the polls, and our campaign continues to rise," Reed campaign spokesman Reese McCranie said. "It also shows this campaign is more capable of raising money faster than any opponent."

The race for second could be critical since most political observers believe no candidate will win more than 50 percent of the vote in the Nov. 3 election. City rules would then require a runoff between the top two finishers.

Borders campaign manager Stacey Abrams said the final month of the election will mean an intensified mass media and grass-roots campaign.

"Lisa will continue to be out in the community on a daily basis, meeting with voters and listening to their concerns," Abrams said.

Borders spent about $50,000 more than she raised between July and September, her disclosure report shows. Much of her money came from attorneys, doctors and Coca-Cola executives. Seven members of the Atlanta Committee for Progress, a group of some of the city's top business and civic leaders, donated to Borders.

Spikes, senior counsel at the law firm McKenna, Long & Aldridge, spent some of his own money on his campaign. His disclosure report includes a $71,000 loan. Write-in candidate Tiffany Brown raised about as much as Spikes during the past three months.

"We will have the funding we need to be victorious in November," Spikes said.

The candidate said polls showing him at 1 percent have discouraged some donors. Spikes said he is encouraged by what he says is a groundswell of support for his campaign and polls showing one-quarter of Atlantans are still undecided.

Here's a look at how much money each candidate raised between July 1 and Sept. 30.

Lisa Borders

Money raised: $402,502.50

Cash remaining: $233,786.27

Mary Norwood

Money raised: $312,739.77

Cash remaining: $620,594

Kasim Reed

Money raised: $446,087.09

Cash remaining: $213,124.44

Jesse Spikes

Money raised: $120,172.45

Cash remaining: $44,708.50

Sources: Borders, Norwood, Reed and Spikes campaigns