Oxford Republican First Selectman candidate George Temple leads the way in campaign fundraising in Oxford, as of earlier this month.
Temple, who is running with Jeffrey Haney, has raised $16,393 for the campaign, according to his latest financial report filed at Oxford Town Hall.
The Democratic Town Committee, which is fundraising for its candidate Joseph Calabrese and running mate David McKane, has raised $9,877.12 since Jan. 1. The committee started the year with $2,168.64 on hand, for a total of $12,045.76 to work with during the campaign.
Temple’s report says it covers Sept. 2 to Oct. 11.
The Democratic Town Committee report details July 1 to Sept. 30.
A third candidate — Republican David Haversat, who is running as a write-in candidate — entered the race after the last reporting deadline, so no financial report was available for him.
Officials with Temple’s and Calabrese’s campaigns said the money doesn’t matter much.
“I don’t think it’s a reflection of who might win,” said Democratic Town Committee chairman Carol Georgette.
Temple’s running mate, Haney, said the team’s message is more important than it’s bankroll.
“I don’t think the money matters much,” Haney said. “George Temple has a great program he wants to institute in town, and he has a great future for us. Whether he has $10 or $10,000, his message is good.”
But Temple said the fundraising reflects his following.
“It’s that simple,” Temple said. “More people want to see me get elected than him. That’s the way it is.”
Expenses
Temple’s campaign has spent $5,698.20 during the whole campaign. Of that $3,890.59 was spent during the last reporting period, from July 1 to Sept. 30.
Temple’s expenses included $1,4114.70 to Arrow Printers for signs and door hangers, $1,003.82 to Valley Publishing for printing 500 copies of direct mail, and $722.07 to the Derby Postmaster for a post card mailing.
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The Democratic Town Committee spent $7,217.61 since Jan. 1 — of which $4,890.25 was raised during the last reporting period.
Democratic expenses included $750 for a Made In Connecticut fair at the Colonial Tavern on Sept. 30 and $553.89 to Candidate Signs of Nebraska for outdoor signs.
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Donations
Some of Temple’s big donations include:
- $1,550 from James Hard, and importer from Oxford.
- $750 from Jeffrey Olson, an entertainer from Oxford
- $500 from Wayne Watt, the town’s public works director
Temple also received a $1,500 donation from “GOP 4,” a political action committee based in Bridgeport that also gave money to Republican candidates for office in Fairfield, Greenwich and Monroe.
The total fundraising for George Temple included $2,350 from an advertising book as well.
Some of the Democratic Town Committee’s biggest donations came from the three Democratic candidates for the Board of Education:
- $250 from Diane Soracco, a candidate for Board of Education
- $250 from Amy Cote, a candidate for Board of Education
- $250 from Stephen Brown, a candidate for the Board of Education in Oxford
Thomas Reyes, a manager at Yale University who lives in Oxford, also donated $250 to the committee.
The committee also raised $1,555 from an advertising book, and another $518 from food sold during a fundraiser at the Colonial Tavern.
