Gabrielle Russon
In a crowded open race for Orlando City Council’s District 3, Roger Chapin is emerging with the biggest war chest.
Chapin, the son of former Orange County Mayor Linda Chapin, raised $118,000 in the second quarter — more than three times more than his next closest competitor — according to campaign finance reports publicly released late this week. Roger Chapin also spent $2,000 during the quarter.
“I am overwhelmed by the positive response and thankful for the support from friends, neighbors, and District 3 residents,” Chapin said in a statement earlier this month, saying “the vast majority” of donors were “from the district and surrounding neighborhoods.”
His donors include his mom, who wrote him a $1,000 check last month.
Chapin is a Mears Transportation executive who previously lost his bid for Orlando City Council in 2002 — when he went up against incumbent Vicki Vargo — despite winning the Orlando Sentinel’s endorsement at the time.
The winner of the Nov. 4 election will succeed District 3 Commissioner Robert Stuart, who is not seeking a sixth term.
July 10 was the official deadline to report fundraising from April 1 to June 30.
Following behind Chapin, the second-biggest fundraising push came from Jason Albu, who raised about $37,000 and loaned his campaign more than $4,000. He also spent about $12,000. Albu is Co-Chair of the family-owned general contracting and construction management company Albu & Associates.
Other candidates in the jam-packed field also submitted second-quarter campaign finance reports. Mira Tanna raised $23,000 and spent about $6,000. Kimberly Kiss raised about $12,000 and loaned her campaign $6,000. She spent about $3,000. Chris Durant raised about $4,000 and spent nearly $2,000. Samuel Chambers raised about $4,000 and loaned his campaign $700, spending nearly $8,000.
The deadline to register for the Nov. 4 nonpartisan District 3 race is Oct. 6. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. 23.
The city of Orlando is undergoing a major transformation since longtime Mayor Buddy Dyer, Stuart and others aren’t seeking re-election. Rep. Anna Eskamani remains the only candidate who has filed to replace Dyer, the city’s longest-serving Mayor who was voted into office in 2003.
