Marketing campaign finance experiences masking July 1 by means of Dec. 31 had been due Thursday, providing the primary take a look at the place cash is flowing in a Bexar County Decide contest between two widespread, well-known Democrats.
In whole, former San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg raised extra, leaning exhausting on the cash of some giant donors to make up for misplaced time in an workplace the place particular person donors may solely give $1,000 per marketing campaign cycle.
Incumbent Peter Sakai introduced in much less cash however reported a much bigger marketing campaign battle chest, amassed over the course of three years in a task with no contribution limits.
Nirenberg reported roughly $360,000 raised between July 1 and Dec. 31, plus a $100,000 mortgage from native philanthropist Harvey Najim, leaving him with about $355,000 available as of Dec. 31.
Sakai raised about $254,000 throughout that very same span and ended the yr with $563,000 available.
Neither candidate had spent a lot on the newest experiences, with early voting for the March 3 major beginning Feb. 17.
In a busy season of marketing campaign occasions, Sakai and Nirenberg will face off in a debate hosted by the San Antonio Report at Secure Corridor on Feb. 10, one week earlier than early voting kicks off.
Nirenberg’s greatest funders
Nirenberg, who termed out as San Antonio’s mayor this yr, had been elevating cash for a future marketing campaign even earlier than leaving that workplace, although he wasn’t certain what race it will be.
In August he closed out his metropolis marketing campaign account, the place mayoral candidates can solely gather as much as $1,000 from a person donor every marketing campaign cycle, and began a Texans for Ron Nirenberg PAC to be the fundraising automobile for no matter got here subsequent.
From there he was capable of gather a $50,000 test from his previous marketing campaign hand Christian Archer and a $25,000 test from Najim, amongst different smaller contributions.
Nirenberg in the end handed on a possible statewide bid, the place assembling the assets would have been a giant problem. However since county workplaces haven’t any contribution limits, he was capable of roll the PAC cash into his marketing campaign account for the decide race.
Nirenberg spent about $100,000 prior to now six months by means of the PAC and marketing campaign, a few of which went towards his marketing campaign consultants at Viva Politics, which labored on Sakai’s race in 2022.
He additionally has a federal PAC, referred to as One Group, with about $40,000 within the financial institution as of final June.
Sakai’s greatest funders
Sakai, in the meantime, entered 2025 beneath strain from the enterprise neighborhood to ship a deal on a brand new Spurs area.
He began off hesitant, however after crafting a plan to rehabilitate the crew’s present house on the East Facet, took on a serious function in bringing voters on board.
The most important contributors to date to his reelection race have been from salsa billionaire and Pearl founder Equipment Goldsbury and lawyer Tullos Wells, who every gave $10,000.
He’s paying MAP Methods, beforehand Nirenberg’s longtime advisor, to run his race.
