Campaign finance reports filed by El Paso City Council candidates eight days before the Nov. 5 election reveal a surge of last-minute contributions, led by substantial donations from the Texas Association of Realtors Political Action Committee (TREPAC).
The PAC contributed $30,000 equally across six races between Sept. 27 and Oct. 26.
Reports show that Alejandra “Ale” Chávez in District 1 and Josh Acevedo in District 2 received some of the highest individual donations. Chávez led with nearly $17,105 in fundraising since September, bolstered by support from local business figures, while Acevedo secured significant contributions from local PACs and business leaders.
In District 3, Deanna Maldonado-Rocha raised $24,075 during the last month, bolstered by support from TREPAC and prominent local business figures. District 4 incumbent Joe Molinar brought in $5,200 during this period.
District 5 candidate Ivan Niño, chief of staff to the current representative, leads with contributions totaling just over $23,000, backed by local executives and TREPAC. In District 7, former city representative Lily Limón heads the financial race with approximately $45,000 raised, supported by family, local business leaders and in-kind donations.
Here’s a breakdown of how much candidates in the City Council races raised, their biggest or notable donors, and how much money they’ve spent just one week out from Election Day. Early voting ends Friday.
Who’s donated to City Council District 1 candidates?
Alejandra “Ale” Chávez, 47, a consultant and former restaurant owner, raised $17,105 from late September through Oct. 26, and spent more than $24,700 over that period.
Her notable donors in October were the Texas Realtors Political Action Committee, which gave $5,000, and Raymond and Kathy Palacios, who gave $2,500 this month. Seven other donors gave $1,000 each.
Chavez has vastly outraised and outspent her opponents throughout the campaign.
Since entering the race over the summer, Chavez has brought in donations totaling just under $99,000, and she’s poured $75,500 into the race. She hasn’t taken out any loans or spent any of her personal funds campaigning. As of Oct. 26, her campaign still held $19,000. Raymond Palacios, a car dealer, has been Chavez’s biggest benefactor, giving $6,600 to her campaign over three donations since August.
Learn More: Q&A: City Council District 1 candidates in Nov. 5 general election
Sam Armijo, 85, a nuclear scientist and consultant, didn’t report any donations in the period from Sept. 27 through Oct. 26, and he spent $1,535 over that span. Since entering the race, Armijo has reported donations totaling $560; $500 of that came from the West El Paso Republican Women organization, according to documents filed with the city. Armijo has spent $3,800 on the race in all, but he’s mostly self-financed his campaign by spending $3,100 of his personal funds.
Tom Handy, 51, a writer, investor and retired Army officer, raised $1,100 in the most recent reporting period, and he spent about $4,750 on the campaign entirely out of his own funds. His major donors this month were Wendy and Merrill Darag, who contributed $1,000 to Handy. Merrill Darag is also Handy’s campaign treasurer.
Throughout the entire campaign, Handy has raised about $1,750 but he hasn’t used any donations. He has spent a total of $11,175 on his campaign from personal funds – more than half of that to pay for TV ads that ran on KTSM.
See also: Who’s running to represent the West Side’s District 1 on El Paso City Council
Monica Reyes, 55, executive director of student support services in Canutillo ISD, brought in $3,475 in donations between Sept. 27 and Oct. 26, second to Chavez. She spent almost $13,000 over that period. Her major recent donors over the last month were local businessman Stanley Jobe, who gave $1,000, and Richard Zamora of San Antonio who also gave Reyes’ campaign $1,000.
Since the start of the race, Reyes has taken out loans worth $33,500 to fund her campaign. She’s raised $27,350 total, and spent about $20,000. Fred Loya, an insurance company owner, is Reyes’ biggest single donor after he gave her campaign $5,000 in September.
Reyes’ campaign still had $7,350 on hand as of Oct. 26.
Who’s donated to City Council District 2 candidates?
Josh Acevedo, 35, the incumbent city representative for District 2, has raised $27,750 in the last reporting period, spending about $28,600.
His most notable donations include $5,000 from the Texas Association of Realtors PAC; $2,500 from banker Rick Francis and businessman Woody Hunt and his wife, Gayle; $1,500 each from finance businessman and El Paso Electric Chairman Edward Escudero and businessman Edward Houghton IV; $2,000 from businesswoman Georgina Williams; and $1,000 from each the El Paso Municipal Police Officers Association and the El Paso Association of Firefighters Local 51 PAC.
Learn More: Q&A: City Council District 2 candidates in Nov. 5 general election
Acevedo previously reported raising $12,650, bringing his total donations through Oct. 26 to about $40,400.
Isabel Ceballos Otten, 23, a Realtor, reported raising $3,350 in the last campaign period, and spending $9,886. She also loaned her campaign $6,000. Her donations included $2,500 from home builder Eduardo Fernandez.
See also: District 2 City Council race pits one-year incumbent against political newcomer
She paid $4,000 for campaign consulting to Cognet LLC, an Orlando, Florida, company that lists its managing partner as Moises Martin Paredes, an El Paso blogger living in Florida.
Ceballos Otten raised $4,900 in the previous reporting period, and loaned her campaign $5,725.
Who’s donated to City Council District 3 candidates?
Deanna Maldonado-Rocha, 41, a capacity analyst, reported receiving $24,075 in the last reporting period, spending under $17,000. She reported loaning her campaign $10,000.
Her notable donations include $5,000 from the Texas Association of Realtors PAC; as well as $2,500 each from businessmen Steve Fox and JK Robinson. She also received a $1,000 donation from the El Paso Association of Firefighters Local 51 PAC, as well as from El Paso Electric CEO Kelly Tomblin, developer Douglas Schwartz, developer Adam Frank, businessmen Josh Hunt and Ted Houghton, and attorney and former city Rep. Steve Ortega.
Learn More: Q&A: City Council District 3 candidates in Nov. 5 general election
In her previous report, Maldonado-Rocha reported receiving $8,600 in donations, including $2,500 donations each from businessmen Rick Francis and Woody Hunt. That brings her total donations to $32,675 so far.
Fabiola H. Arellano, 57, an attorney, has raised $5,045 since July and spent $6,085. Her notable donors include El Paso residents Carmen and Enrique Arellano, who donated $4,000.
Kenneth Bell, 39, a campaign organizer, has raised $8,469 since April and spent $10,615. None of his donors have given more than $1,000. Bell said he would not accept any contributions greater than $1,000 and supports putting a cap on the individual donations.
See also: 5 candidates vie for El Paso District 3 city representative seat
Neither Jesse Romero, 71, a Realtor and entrepreneur, nor Jose Rodriguez, 78, a Realtor, have submitted campaign finance reports.
Who’s donated to City Council District 4 candidates?
Incumbent District 4 city Rep. Joe Molinar, 64, a former Marine and retired police lieutenant, received $5,200 during the past month to include $5,000 from the Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee. During this time, he reported $9,186 in expenditures. He still has $24,302 in political contributions, much of which rolled over from his 2020 campaign. He reported raising $3,590 in his previous report.
Challenger Cynthia Boyar Trejo, 58, an entrepreneur, took in an additional $11,772. She spent $10,516. She still has $6,292 in her war chest. She received contributions of $2,500 from J. Kirk Robison and Woody Hunt, $1,700 from Raymond Palacios, CEO of Bravo Chevrolet Cadillac; and $1,000 each from Miguel Fernandez, Edward Houghton, Josh Hunt and Gary Porras.
Learn More: Q&A: City Council District 4 candidates in Nov. 5 general election
She had previously received about $12,900, bringing her total contributions to date to about $24,700.
Dorothy “Sissy” Byrd, 67, a community volunteer and retired insurance specialist, did not add any political contributions during the past month and has $254 in her campaign account.
Wesley Lawrence, 28, a political consultant and policy volunteer, took in an additional $5,454 to his campaign to include $2,847 in in-kind contributions. His total political expenditures are $1,566. His campaign still has $2,696. He had previously raised just under $3,700, bringing his total raised to just over $9,000.
See also: Incumbent city rep faces 3 opponents to represent Northeast El Paso’s District 4
The major donations were $500 each from retiree Carolyn Lawrence and the Texas Bluebonnet PAC, a group that is against school vouchers.
Who’s donated to City Council District 5 candidates?
Ivan Niño, 33, chief of staff for District 5 city Rep. Isabel Salcido, who is leaving office early to seek the mayoral seat, raised $18,635 from Sept. 27 to Oct. 26, and has spent $12,634.
His largest contributor was the Texas Association of Realtors Political Action Committee, which donated $5,000. Other notable donors included Frederick Francis, chairman and CEO of WestStar Bank; and Woody Hunt, executive chairman of the Board of Directors of Hunt Companies Inc., who each donated $2,500. Niño also received $1,000 each from El Paso Children’s Foundation board member Blake Anderson; telecommunications executive Miguel Fernandez; auto dealership leader Steve Fox; businessmen Stanley Jobe and Gerald Rubin; Rogelio Lopez; and the political action committee of the El Paso Association of Fire Fighters Local 51.
Learn More: Q&A: City Council District 5 candidates in Nov. 5 general election
Niño had previously reported raising $4,500, bringing his total contributions to just over $23,000.
Candidates Felix J. Muñoz, 58, who retired from the federal Bureau of Prisons, and Sean “Kowalski” Orr, 21, a security guard, each filed campaign finance reports that listed no contributions or expenses.
See also: Who’s running to represent Far Eastside’s District 5 on El Paso City Council
Reports for Amanda Cunningham, 34, a social services worker and consultant; and Tamara Lantigua Davis, 56, who is self-employed, were not posted on the city clerk’s website.
Who’s donated to City Council District 7 candidates?
Lily Limón, 74, a retired educator and former District 7 representative, reported $14,235 in contributions to include $3,200 in in-kind contributions, $12,344 in expenditures, and an outstanding loan of $7,000 to include a $2,000 personal loan from the candidate. Her campaign has $7,633 left.
Her major donations include $4,500 from California software engineer and son-in-law Lawrence Romero; $1,000 each from Tropicana Homes officials Randall and Robert Bowling; and $500 donations from businessman Stanley Jobe, outgoing Mayor Oscar Leeser, former city and state politician Joe Pickett. Her campaign also received in-kind donations of $1,700 from Limon’s husband José Limón to pay for campaign expenses, and $1,500 from Sun Circle Strategic Group’s Eddie Holguin for consulting work.
Learn More: Q&A: City Council District 7 candidates in Nov. 5 general election
Limón previously reported raising $31,000, bringing her total contributions to about $45,000.
Fabiola Campos-Lopez, 62, chair of the El Paso Neighborhood Coalition, received $9,575 in contributions.
Among her donations are $2,500 from Frederick Francis, chairman and CEO of WestStar Bank; and Woody Hunt, executive chairman of the Board of Directors of Hunt Companies Inc., as well as $1,000 donations from Blake Anderson, an official with Exova Diagnostics; Ed Escudero, president and CEO of High Desert Capital; Steve Fox, CEO Fox Auto Team; and Ted Houghton, president, owner and marketing and operations executive with Houghton Financial Partners. She spent $2,553 on her campaign and still has $7,225 to use. She previously reported raising $2,597, bringing her total contributions to just over $12,000.
Chris Hernandez, 40, a political consultant and Ysleta Independent School District trustee, received $9,300 during the last reporting period. His campaign expenditures are $8,523, as well as $658 in personal funds. His campaign has $1,879 left to spend.
See also: 4 candidates vie to represent Eastside, Lower Valley in City Council District 7
Hernandez’s main contributors were the Texas Realtors PAC, which gave $5,000, and the El Paso Association of Firefighters – Local 51, and the El Paso Police Officers PAC, which donated $1,000 each.
Hernandez previously reported $4,700 in donations, bringing his total contributions to $14,000.
Alan Serna, 54, a businessman and environmentalist, reported no political contributions this month, but he spent $7,170 during the last reporting period. His campaign has a balance of $43.
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