Republic file photo Columbus City Hall.
As Tuesday’s primary approaches, one GOP candidate for Columbus mayor has a significant lead in campaign fundraising.
Mary Ferdon has $45,250 in campaign donations, according to campaign finance reports covering the period from Jan. 1 through April 7. Milo Smith has $14,265, including a $5,000 loan that Smith made to himself, reports state.
Ferdon, the city’s director of administration and community development, and Smith, a business owner and former Indiana state representative, are seeking the Republican nomination for mayor after incumbent Jim Lienhoop announced in early November that he would not seek a third term.
Former Bartholomew County Sheriff Matt Myers announced Nov. 9 that he intended to run for mayor, but took his name off the ballot on Jan. 17. Myers, who could not run for sheriff again due to term limits, donated $1,000 from his remaining campaign funds for mayor to Ferdon.
Lienhoop and Myers have endorsed Ferdon as their chosen candidate for the GOP nomination.
Ferdon has also received at least $100 from 89 individual donors or couples, as well as a corporate donation of $300 from Envision Organizational Consulting Inc. of Columbus.
Smith, who served six terms as District 59 representative in the Indiana General Assembly from 2006-2018, lists 15 contributions of $100 or more from individuals or married couples. An owner of a tax consulting service, Smith also received a $1,000 contribution from Tom’s Commercials LLC and $1,000 through the Indiana Realtors Political Action Committee.
In terms of expenditures, Ferdon has spent $31,840 on print advertising, mailers, signs, broadcasting, videos and on a fundraiser. That leaves $13,360 for future campaign expenses.
Smith has spent $10,042 as of April 7, primarily for printing, signs and mailers. He has $4,223 cash-on-hand.
At this time, no Democrats have filed to seek the mayor’s seat.
On Jan. 30, Wayne Township Democrat Sean Webster filed for the office, but withdrew two days later after discovering his residence is 195 feet outside the city limits.
Bartholomew County Democratic Party Chair Ross Thomas said there is a possibility his party will field a candidate for mayor in the general election, but added Democrats are more focused right now on maintaining and possibly expanding their majority on the city council.
The deadline for all parties to fill a ballot vacancy for the November election is at noon on Monday, July 3.
Mary Ferdon (R)
Contributions
$100-$199 – Randy Allman, Columbus; Nancy Wagner, Columbus; Kathleen Sheehy, Columbus; Roger Lang, Columbus; Adam Hall, Columbus; Zack Ellison, Columbus; Beverly Baker, Columbus; Jack Hess, Columbus; Linda Pillar, Columbus; Jeff Blasdel, Columbus; Angie May, Columbus; Fredrick Barnett, Memphis, IN; Amy Boerger, Columbus; Kathleen Oren, Columbus; Amy McCormick, Columbus; Norman Smith, Columbus; Jacqueline Franz, Columbus; Dan Arnholt, Columbus; Victoria Griffin, Columbus; Kathleen Coriden, Columbus; David Force, Columbus; Gregg Summerville, Columbus; Nancy Sawin, Columbus; Roger Devore, Columbus; Frank Griffin, Columbus; Shannon McDonald (residence not listed); John Boldt, Columbus; Janae Norman, Hope, IN; John Pickett, Columbus; Roger Brinkman, Columbus; Scott Newlund, Greenwood, IN; Susan Fye, Columbus; Laurie Pfaffenberger, Columbus; Scott Poling, Columbus.
$200-$299 – Charles Farber, Columbus; Amy Dowd, Columbus; Gary Ziegler, Columbus; Jeffrey Caldwell, Columbus; Jane Siefert, Columbus; Judith Smith, Columbus; Jeffrey Jones, Columbus; Randall Stafford, Columbus; Robin Hilber, Columbus; Joseph Conner, Columbus; James Vogel, Columbus; Deborah Burnett, Columbus; Tom Vujovich, Columbus; Brenda Sullivan, Columbus; Donald Trapp, Columbus; Adam Steuerwald, Zionsville, IN; Bradley Bingham, Newburgh, IN; Bruce Donaldson, Carmel, IN; David Doup, Columbus; Wilma Doup, Columbus; Constance Marbach, Columbus; Andrea Lukas, Columbus; John Mastio, Andover, KS; Fernando Herndon, Columbus; Jack Scherer, Columbus; Michael Burns, Columbus; Deborah Frazier, Columbus; Jeremy Foster, Columbus; Gary Bardonner, Columbus.
$300-$399 – Tyshaun Allen, Greenwood, IN.
$500-$599 – Michael Kirsch, Columbus; Thomas Brosey, Columbus; Mark Pratt, Columbus; Mark Levett, Columbus; William Hawkins, Columbus; Jeff Chandler, Butlerville, IN; Thomas Harmon, Columbus; John Stroh, Columbus; Sheryl Elston, Columbus.
$700-$799 – Angela Force, Columbus; Joseph Lohmeyer, Columbus.
$1,000-$1,999 – Denise Rau, Columbus; David McKinney, Columbus; Robert Orben, Columbus; Mark Henderson, Columbus; John Kussman, Columbus; George Dutro, Columbus; Lori Thompson, Columbus.
$2,000-$2,999 – James Henderson, Columbus.
$3,000-$3,999 – Richard Gold, Columbus.
Corporate/company contributions — Envision Organizational Consulting, Inc., Columbus ($300); Barnes & Thornburg LLP ($1,000).
Political Action Committee contribution – Friends of Matt Myers ($1,000).
Expenditures
Tony London Co., Columbus (signs, mailers and banners) $4,162.30; Brainstorm Paint, Indianapolis (signs, mailers) $10,450.64; The Republic (advertising) $1,225; Cedar Spring Farm, LLC , Hope, IN (social media) $1,776.96; Fast Signs, Columbus (advertising) $912.28; Columbus Republic Ladies League (advertising) $150; Marsha Sunkel, Columbus (postage and printing) $1,962.33; Bartholomew County Republican Party, Columbus (other printing) $250; YES Cinema, Columbus (advertising) $3.000; Red Bridge Media LLC, Columbus (photo/video $900); Reising Radio Partners, Columbus (advertising) $3,986.75; White River Broadcasting (advertising) $1,824; Autumn Lee, Columbus (website technology) $100; Jo Ellen Watanabe, Columbus (fundraising event) $1,026.75; PayPal (fundraising expense) $162.81.
Milo Smith (R)
Contributions
$200-$299 – Arthur H. Turner, Columbus; Robert and Barbara Garton, Columbus; John and Barbara Hackman, Columbus; Robert Roney, Columbus; R. Phillip & Kathleen Weick, Columbus.
$300-$399 – Charles Lovelace, Hartsville, IN.
$500-$599 – Vernon Jewell, Columbus; Jeffrey & Sarah Bush, Bedford, IN; Stanley Gamso, Columbus; John Bender, Bloomington, IN; Richard T. Newton II, Columbus.
$1,000-$1,999 – Norman Schlemmer, Greensburg, IN; Jorge Morales, Columbus.
$5,000 – $5,999 – Milo Smith, Columbus (loan).
Corporate/company contributions — Tom’s Commercials LLC, Columbus ($1,000)
Political Action Committee contribution – Indiana Realtors Political ($1,000)
Expenditures
The Republic, Columbus (payment of debt) $1,290; USPS, Columbus (payment of debt) $120; Michelle Drysdale (wages, reimbursements) $3,047.66; Legacy Signs LLC, Hartsville, IN (payment of debt) $2,228.81; Bartholomew County Republican Ladies League, Columbus (payment of debt) $150; Tony London Co., Columbus (payment of debt) $2,407.50; Harcourt Outlines, Milroy, IN (payment of debt) $727.60.
