Mainlanders give gov $550,000
Nearly half of the latest donations to her re-election campaign came from out of state
NEARLY HALF of the money raised for Gov. Linda Lingle's re-election campaign in the second half of 2005 came from the mainland.
According to figures filed with the state Campaign Spending Commission yesterday, Lingle raised $1.2 million in that period, and $550,434 of that amount came from out of state. Lingle raised $195,504 in California during that time -- the most out-of-state donations, the figures show.
STATE, CITY LEADERS SHOW SURPLUSES
Here is a look at some of the top fundraisers in state and city government, according to reports filed yesterday with the state Campaign Spending Commission. The reports cover campaign activity in the last six months of 2005.
Gov. Linda Lingle
Raised: $1,217,759
Spent: $253,907
Balance: $3,177,878
Lt. Gov. James Aiona
Raised: $89,240
Spent: $32,277
Balance: $124,958
Mayor Mufi Hannemann
Raised: $346,323
Spent: $87,995
Balance: $456,682
COUNCILMEMBERS' WAR CHESTS
Honolulu City Council members listed the following amounts in their campaign treasuries:
Romy Cachola: $276,089
Donovan Dela Cruz: $79,700
Charles Djou: $153,310
Nestor Garcia: $54,958
Ann Kobayashi: $102,087
Barbara Marshall: $6,253
Gary Okino: $94,255
Rod Tam: $96,867
Todd Apo: Not available
Source: State Campaign Spending Commission
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Miriam Hellreich, Lingle's campaign spokeswoman, acknowledged that more than 45 percent of the money raised came from the mainland, but noted that the majority of Lingle's donors are from Hawaii -- 79 percent.
The money raised in the second half in 2005 brought Lingle's total war chest to $3.2 million.
Lingle has said she was trying to raise as much mainland money as possible before a new state law took effect Jan. 1, limiting those amounts to 20 percent overall in any reporting period. The law was approved by the Legislature last year.
In the second half of 2005, Lingle picked up donations at a pace of about $200,000 a month, the campaign spending figures show. She raised $80,850 in New York, $52,500 in Florida and $30,400 in Pennsylvania, according to the figures.
Lingle held 33 fundraisers in 2005. Since becoming governor, she has held 17 mainland fundraisers, with ticket prices ranging from $500 to $6,000 each.
Hellreich said the governor would continue to raise money.
"We are going to continue to be actively raising money and having events and meeting people," Hellreich said. "If you look at the political races historically, it would be foolish not to."
Lingle's running mate, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, raised $89,000 during the last campaign reporting period and has $125,000.
Lingle's only announced Democratic opponent, former legislator Randy Iwase, filed with the Campaign Spending Commission on Jan. 20 and will not have to report his collections until July.
Also showing a large campaign surplus is Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who has picked up $346,000. Hannemann reports that he now has $457,000 in his campaign account.
While other politicians are raising money, Big Island Mayor Harry Kim terminated his campaign account last November after reporting that he had no money in his treasury and had neither raised nor spent any money in the previous reporting period.
Campaign spending officials said Kim is permitted to close his campaign account as long as he does not raise or spend $100 or more for a political office.
Kim is starting the second half of his second term as Big Island mayor and is prohibited from running for mayor again.
Although there has been speculation that Kim would run for governor, he has refused to say whether he would run.
