Mayoral candidates spend big cash
Wu leads in polls, dollars out
Boston mayoral candidates spent through the nose in the last full month before the preliminary election, dumping money into advertisements as the time came nigh to use it or lose it.
City Councilor Michelle Wu, the cash leader at the start of August and the polling leader after it, led the way with a whopping $758,345 spent during the month. She brought in $217,132 to end with $554,339 in the bank. More than $600,000 of Wu’s spending was on ads — over than $96,000 to produce them, and then more than $500,000 to get them out there, with the bulk of that money going toward TV airtime.
City Councilor Andrea Campbell, who now leads in cash on hand at the end of the month, took in $265,034 and spent $646,827, to end with $654,213. Her campaign hurled dough in similar directions, dropping $40,000 on ad production and then nearly $400,000 for airtime. She also spent about $85,000 on mailers.
Acting Mayor Kim Janey raised the most money on the month, pulling in $382,300. She spent $749,040, to end up at $258,170. Janey spent at least $250,000 getting ads on TV, but she also kicked nearly $100,000 toward mailers.
City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George received $150,804 and spent $520,493 to end up at $299,212. She put $350,000 toward TV ads and more than $70,000 toward mailers.
The top two vote-getters will advance through this coming Tuesday’s preliminary election. Recent polls have shown Wu in strong position to grab the first of the two slots; Janey, EssaibiGeorge and Campbell — who have then followed in that order in the last two polls — appear to be in a tight three-way race for the second slot.
Former city economic development director John Barros, the other major candidate, remains in the single digits. He spent nearly all his cash, dropping $220,169 and raising $53,369 to end at $28,101 heading into the two weeks before the prelim. He spent about $122,000 on advertising.