The first campaign finance filings of Burlington’s 2021 mayoral race show Mayor Miro Weinberger on top, having brought in nearly twice as much money as his closest competitor.
The incumbent Democrat raised $85,997 as of January 28, according to a report due three days later to the Secretary of State’s Office. City Council President Max Tracy, P-Ward 2, followed him with $43,527, while Independent Councilor Ali Dieng, Ward 7, raised $9,079.
Weinberger’s haul was more than he had brought in at a similar period of time before his last three elections. During his 2018 race to secure a third term, Weinberger had collected $80,773 as of the first filing deadline and closed out the race having raised $126,162.
This time around, the mayor drew support from 298 donors. They included well-to-do local business owners and some of the biggest developers in the state, such as Ernie and Dee Pomerleau of Pomerleau Real Estate, Redstone Commercial Group owner Larry Williams and developers Eric Farrell and Doug Nedde.
Weinberger also found support from Sen. Patrick Leahy’s campaign committee and his Green Mountain PAC totaling $2,000. Former Gov. Howard Dean, a fellow Democrat, donated $1,040 to the campaign.
Weinberger also received contributions from Liz Miller, a former chief of staff to Gov. Peter Shumlin, and her spouse, former U.S. attorney Eric Miller; UVM Health Network executive vice president Al Gobeille, a former Vermont secretary of human services; Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird of Lincoln, Nebraska; the Clarendon and Pittsford Railroad Co.; and Donna Carpenter, chair of snowboard giant Burton’s board of directors.
According to a spokesperson, Weinberger was not available for comment Monday morning. In a press release he said he was “grateful for the broad support.”
“Our fundraising success confirms what I have sensed while campaigning,” he said in the written statement. “Burlingtonians know these are serious times and this is a critical election.”
Tracy said in an email to his supporters that the money his campaign raised was more than any previous Progressive mayoral candidate had reported in a single filing. At this point in the 2018 mayoral election, independent Carina Driscoll, who was endorsed by the Progressive Party, had brought in $32,921 from 191 donors.
“We’ve had strong support from a lot of different people throughout Burlington,” Tracy said in an interview. “It puts us in a great position, heading into the final month of the election.”
He said he was not discouraged by being out-raised by Weinberger, arguing that he had more grassroots support than the incumbent. Tracy received 383 donations as of Jan. 31, none from corporate entities.
Donors cannot donate more than $1,040 to local candidates under Vermont’s campaign finance laws. Among Tracy’s donors, seven reached that ceiling. Those included Vermont Progressive Party Director Josh Wronski; Tracy’s campaign manager, Dylan Cullen; and local activist Lea Terhune. Of Weinberger’s donors, 28 donated the maximum amount.
Tracy criticized Weinberger’s acceptance of donations from business leaders in development and from the railroad company.
“It’s about influence,” Tracy said. “I don’t think you can say that … if all these folks are maxing out to the campaign that that’s not going to translate to influence.”
Weinberger’s newly hired campaign manager, Samantha Sheehan, defended her boss. “Mayor Weinberger welcomes the support of local Burlington businesses and community leaders,” said Sheehan, who most recently oversaw Democratic Lt. Gov. Molly Gray’s successful campaign for statewide office.
Independent candidate Dieng said that he was feeling “very good” about the $9,000 his campaign raised. Money alone does not win elections, he said.
“It was expected that they would raise more money from people with deep pockets,” Dieng said of Weinberger and Tracy. “For us, our campaign is about building a movement.”
He said he’s more focused on bringing people to the ballot box who have typically stayed out of the city’s electoral processes.
Four lower-profile candidates in the race — Patrick White, Will Emmons, Kevin McGrath and Haik Bedrosian — did not file any campaign finance reports with the secretary of state’s office.
