Kaua’i County Council Chair Ron Kouchi raised over $300,000 in his quest to become the county’s next mayor, and fellow Councilmember Bryan Baptiste raised over $252,000. Mayor-elect Baptiste spent $205,576.66, or around $17 for each vote he received in the
Kaua’i County Council Chair Ron Kouchi raised over $300,000 in his quest to become the county’s next mayor, and fellow Councilmember Bryan Baptiste raised over $252,000.
Mayor-elect Baptiste spent $205,576.66, or around $17 for each vote he received in the general election, for figures through and including Monday, Oct. 21.
Through Monday, Oct. 21, Kouchi had spent $285,680.98, or just over $27 for each of the 10,477 votes he received in the Tuesday, Nov. 5 general election.
Emily Marciel Baptiste was the largest single contributor to the Baptiste campaign, giving $45,000. She is the widow of Mayor-elect Baptiste’s late brother.
By state campaign spending and contribution laws, immediate family members may donate up to $50,000.
For the period ending Monday, Oct. 21, Baptiste received only a few other donations of $1,000 or more: Dana A. Mackey, $2,750; Dan and Carol Mackey, $2,000; Marriott Vacation Club International, $1,550; and Lawrence Chaffin, Jr., $1,050.
Kouchi had several donors whose total contributions were over $1,000: Theolinda Matsumoto, $4,000; McCorriston Miller Mukai Mackinnon LLP, $3,250; ILWU Local 141, $3,250; Linda Kay Estes, $2,550; Joseph A. Brescia, $2,000; J. Gordon Gaines, Inc., $2,000; Will Squyres Helicopter Service, $1,700; Dennis R. Matsumoto, $1,500; Koga Engineering & Construction, Inc., $1,100; and Thomas Danbury, Benjy Garfinkle, Michael Nekoba, David Walters, Walter A. Dods, Jr., Neal Norman, and H.S. Kawakami Stores, Ltd., $1,000 each.
Thursday, Dec. 5 is the deadline for candidates to submit their final campaign spending reports.
As of Monday, Nov. 18, several council candidates had not filed campaign spending reports.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
