INDIANAPOLIS — Mayor Joe Hogsett outraised the main challenger for his seat, Sen. Jim Merritt, in the first quarter of 2019.
Merritt raised nearly $267,000 between Jan. 1 and April 12, while Hogsett raised about $769,000 in the same timeframe.
Merritt, who is a Republican Indiana State Senator, hasn’t been able to spend as much time soliciting donations while the legislature is in session, said Communications Director April Gregory.
She said Merritt is “very pleased” with the pre-primary report.
"We’re confident we’ll raise ample funds for a robust campaign and elect Jim Merritt Mayor of Indianapolis,"
Hogsett’s campaign, meanwhile, had $3.2 million on hand at the beginning of the year and spent $108,000, leaving it with more than $3.8 million cash on hand. A campaign spokesperson claimed it’s a record number for a mayoral campaign pre-primary filing in the history of Indianapolis.
“From opening our first field offices to putting staff on-the-ground, to recruiting hundreds of volunteers and knocking on thousands of doors, it is clear that this campaign and our grassroots supporters are taking nothing for granted,” said Heather K. Sager, Hogsett’s campaign spokesperson.
Sager said there were 333 individual contributions of less than $200, and 82 percent of individual contributors were Indianapolis residents.
The other two main challengers, Christopher Moore and Felipe Rios, did not raise any money in the first quarter of 2019, according to online campaign records. Both Moore and Rios are running as Republicans.
