Political newcomer Nathaniel Kinney is leading the race for campaign dollars in the special election for the City Council, with $105,910.

The race is being held to fill the vacancy for the seat representing Manoa, Moiliili, Palolo and Kapahulu, created when Councilman Dr. Duke Bainum died.

Kinney, an attorney, is the son of Lynn Kinney, head of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 50. He got $23,800 from unions, loans of $30,000 from his father and an additional $8,000 in contributions from his parents.

Second in fundraising is Ann Kobayashi, veteran Manoa legislator and former councilwoman, who raised $96,834 and has spent $82,406.

Kobayashi gave her campaign $17,400 and got $4,000 from U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie's congressional campaign.

Kobayashi also got $4,000 in donations from three unions, including the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

The third major candidate in the race to fill out the remaining two years of Bainum's term is former state Sen. Matt Matsunaga, who has raised $54,396 and spent $60,790. Included in that is a $38,400 loan Matsunaga took out to help his campaign.

“;In such a short campaign you never have all the money you would like, but if you really believe in your own candidacy, you have to put your money where your mouth is,”; Matsunaga said yesterday.

Kobayashi also said she is still raising money, and is vowing not to go into a deficit.

“;We will not be in debt in this campaign, so mostly we are going door to door and going to neighborhood board meetings and parks,”; she said.

Kinney said he has been using the union money to help get out a message that he will help with job creation.

“;The unions are really interested in jobs, and they are most interested in getting the economy back on track,”; he said.