Keith, Denny Lead City Hall Field in Campaign Fundraising

The winners of the mayoral and City Council races won’t be known for another month, but Councilwoman Barbara Denny and Susan Ring Keith lead in donations, though Denny is ahead because she's donated thousands to her own campaign.

According to campaign finance disclosures filed Friday, however, Mayor Casey Tanaka, who Denny is challenging, Keith and Councilman Michael Woidode have received the most contributions and assembled the most donors: 

• Council hopeful Keith raised the most among all the candidates, $13,375 from 91 contributors. 
• Woiwode came in second. He raised $9,495 from 96 contributors. He and Keith are among five people vying for two council seats.
• Tanaka raised $6,395 from 55 people.  

Denny and Jean Roesch raised more money than Tanaka and Woiwode, but each had a smaller donor pool, as they are using their own money to fund their campaigns: 

• Of the $11,375 Denny raised, $10,000 has come from her own pocket.

• Roesch raised $10,600 for her council race, but contributed $8,100 of her own money.

Roesch received donations from 29 people and Denny from 12.

In many cases contributions mirrored the candidates’ passions.

Woiwode, for example, received donations from members of the bicycle committee, while Tanaka cited contributions from historic resources and arts advocates, as did Keith.  

The mayor, seeking a second term, also received a number of donations from fellow teachers. Tanaka teaches history at Coronado High School.

Woiwode appeared to have the most diverse donor base – defense contractors, Realtors, attorneys, a number of small businessmen and leading historic resources advocates. 

Newcomers Richard Bailey and Kari McPherson didn't fare as well. 

Denny, Tanaka and Woiwode, all current office holders, and Keith, a former councilwoman, are familiar names. Bailey and McPherson are new to the community's political scene and their financial statements reflect their status.

Bailey raised $335 from six supporters and contributed $6,000 of his own money. McPherson also had six donors. She has raised $1,450 for her campaign.

While candidates have spent most of their money on signs and pamphlets, there were some unique expenditures.

Keith spent $4,425 for ads in local media, while Denny spent $950. Denny also spent $4,000 on a political consultant, Paola Avila of the Partners Alliance in La Jolla.

Avila's other clients have included former San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy, a Republican, and Assemblyman Ben Hueso, a Democrat, according to her website.

In total, the candidates have raised some $60,000 and have spent $37,000, or a little over half their contributions. 

Copies of the candidates' financial disclosures are available at the reference desk at the Coronado library and at City Hall. The documents disclose who has donated and how the campaigns have spent the money.