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I thought it would be interesting to see the amount of money raised by various candidates in the Birmingham mayoral race compared to how many votes they got. Two of the bottom three finishers did not have complete dollar figures readily available in news reports, so I left them off.
You can only make so much of all this as the vote totals are unofficial, the final dollar figures are not in, and this is based not on money spent, but on money raised as of the Oct. 4 financial reports.
Still, it’s interesting.
| $ Raised | Votes | $ Raised per Vote |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Valerie Abbott | $20,017 | 736 | $27.20 |
| William Bell | $49,725 | 3505 | $14.19 |
| Ray Brooks | $7,200 | 42 | $171.43 |
| Patrick Cooper | $676,854 | 15392 | $43.97 |
| Bernard Kincaid | $119,820 | 4234 | $28.30 |
| Larry Langford | $352,135 | 26227 | $13.43 |
| Carole Smitherman | $322,410 | 1804 | $178.72 |
| Barry L. Taylor | $11,350 | 71 | $159.86 |
Brooks’ figures include a $5,000 loan. Cooper’s dollar figures includes $120,000 in two loans. Langford’s figures include $70,000 in a loan. Taylor’s figures includes $6,000 in a loan.
The fundraising figures are based on Birmingham News articles here, here and here.
The eye-opener here is Carole Smitherman’s figures. All that money that supposedly came her way through her husband’s decision to switch from one Senate caucus to another, well… it bought some pricey votes.
Related Articles:
Legislative Dispatch
Purple Dot Connection
2010 Big List
2010 Senate Elections
2010 House Elections
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The thing that surprised me the most was Kincaid not even hitting double digits. Whens the last time you heard of an incumbent who wasnt in potential criminial trouble not hitting double digits in an election. I dont ever recall an incumbent doing that poorly.
Looking at how much was spent, I wonder if the traditional half pint and plug of tobacco would have been cheaper.
Smitherman may yet have the last laugh. She assumes the Mayor’s office if something (like a federal indictment) befalls Langford.
When I suggested looking at that it was mainly here figure that I wanted to see. Too bad she could have stayed out of it and either way she gets to be the mayor because langford will be in jail before his term ends.
If that’s the case, why did she even run? Maybe she thought a solid showing would give her a stronger mandate, but since she fared so poorly, doesn’t that do the exact opposite?