Campaign contributions were an indicator of election results in the 2019 Gainesville regular election.
On Tuesday, incumbent Mayor Lauren Poe beat three opponents in his run for re-election, earning 61.82 percent of the vote, according to the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections’ office.
When it came to monetary contributions, Poe also led the pack with a total of $29,474, according to office records from the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections.
Poe’s opponents, Jenn Powell, who earned 18.46 percent of the vote, had $8,000 in contributions; Jennifer Reid, who earned 15.59 percent of the vote, had $3,440 in contributions; and Marlon Bruce, who earned 4.13 percent of the vote, had $50 in contributions.
Incumbent Adrian Hayes-Santos won the seat for District 4 commissioner, earning 73.68 percent of the votes. Hayes-Santos led contributions with $17,867. His opponent, Robert Mounts, followed with $13,390.
In the past two mayoral elections, the candidate for Gainesville mayor with the most money in contributions was elected, except for the 2013 election where the winning candidate came in second in contributions, according to elections’ office records.
In Poe’s first mayoral campaign, he raised $55,291 in contributions, including the money earned during the runoff that year, according to records.
Poe’s nearly $30,000 in contributions this election included those from other city officials, like $5 from Commissioner David Arreola, $25 from Commissioner Gail Johnson, $125 from Commissioner Harvey Ward and $100 from Hayes-Santos, according to records.
He also received contributions from local residents who supported his campaign, like Shayna Rich.
Rich, 41, has only met Poe once but donated $100 to his campaign.
She said it’s important to get involved with local politics. She believes voters can have a voice without spending money, but money needs to be spent to get the word out about elections.
“It’s much easier or much more realistic to actually make a change on a local level,” Rich said. “If I want to make my world a better place, I need to be involved.”
Unlike Poe, Bruce received only two contributions: one from himself and one from his friend, Santa Fe Student Body President Alejandro Puga, according to records.
Puga said he donated to Bruce because he believed in his friend’s campaign.
“You need two out of the three things: money, a good team and a good candidate,” Puga said. “But I do think money does make a campaign move forward.”
After the win on Tuesday, Poe’s campaign manager Bennett Ragan, 21, said he spent Thursday finishing up the campaign’s finances. The team will start sending out thank-you letters to all their donors.
“We’re keeping everybody in the loop and saying thank you,” Ragan said. “Right now, we’re just closing up shop.”
Lauren Poe speaks to a crowd of reporters and about 100 supporters March 20, 2019 at the Public and General restaurant after elections. Poe beat three opponents to win his second term as mayor of Gainesville.
