Copyright cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — When it comes to campaign cash, Mayor Justin Bibb isn’t just ahead — he’s in another league entirely. His reelection campaign has raised roughly 96 times more money than his opponent, Laverne Gore, and his advantage mirrors a broader trend across Cleveland politics this year: a landscape where incumbents and well-connected candidates are amassing war chests that leave challengers in the dust. Recent campaign finance filings reveal these uneven fundraising matchups, with several City Council members and candidates having built massive leads, thanks not only to this year’s donations, but to hefty carryover balances from past elections. Here’s what we know so far, according to the candidates’ most recent filings: At the top of the list is Mayor Justin Bibb, who started the year with about $642,000 on hand and raised $463,000 more, giving him more than $1.1 million total before spending. His opponent, Laverne Gore, raised just $1,500, plus a $10,000 personal loan, a fundraising gap of about 96 to 1. Bibb still had about $405,000 left in his campaign account ahead of the general election, while Gore had under $250. Among council races, Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones has created the largest divide between her and her opponent in Ward 8. She entered 2025 with $8,400 and raised $66,500 more, for a combined $74,900. Her opponent, Charlotte Perkins, raised just $2,900. Perkins has $2,500 left to spend, while Howse-Jones has $7,100. Councilwoman Deborah Gray also heavily outraised her opponent in Ward 3. She started the year with $6,500 and raised $6,100 more for a total of $12,600. Her challenger, Eric Stubbs, reported just $275 in contributions. He has $175 left to spend, Gray has $6,400 left. In Ward 10, Councilman Mike Polensek holds one of the city’s largest war chests. He started the year with $105,700 and raised $51,400 in 2025 for $157,000 in total. Councilman Anthony Hairston started with $29,000 and raised $52,200 for a combined $81,000. Polensek has $134,100 left, compared to Hairston’s $12,800. Councilman Kevin Conwell began 2025 with $61,300 and raised $20,600, for a total $81,900 in Ward 9. Challenger Alana Belle raised $15,900 and had about $8,200 remaining after spending. Conwell reported $59,600 on hand. Councilwoman Rebecca Maurer began the year with $44,400 and raised $79,400 in 2025, while Councilman Richard Starr started with $16,000 and brought in $81,600, making the Ward 5 race one of Cleveland’s most expensive. Maurer has $29,500 left, while Starr had $13,800. It’s unclear if Ward 1 Councilman Joe Jones has a fundraising advantage. He came into 2025 with $28,200 on hand and raised $32,000 throughout the year. His opponent, state Rep. Juanita Brent, has not filed spending reports with the county’s board of elections. Jones had $9,100 on hand ahead of the general election. In Ward 4, Councilman Kris Harsh started 2025 with $22,800 and raised $24,300, while his opponent Rehan Waheed raised $21,100, including a $5,000 personal loan. Harsh has $39,400 on hand, while Waheed reported $12,700. In Ward 12, Councilman Danny Kelly entered 2025 with $1,600 and raised $77,400, while his opponent Tanmay Shah brought in $52,300. Both have spent heavily — Kelly about $54,200, Shah about $32,200 — leaving Kelly with $24,800 and Shah with $19,200 on hand heading into the general election. In Ward 7, newcomers Austin Davis and Mohammad Faraj are also in a high-dollar contest. Davis raised $72,300 this year, including a $4,000 loan. Faraj raised $89,600. Faraj has $22,700 left to spend; Davis $32,000. Political action committees are also influencing the picture. The Council Leadership Fund, which supports incumbents, began 2025 with $196,300 and raised another $190,300, while A Better Cleveland for All, which backs progressive challengers, started with $25,700 and raised just $6,400. The Council Leadership Fund reported $229,300 on hand, compared with $13,300 for A Better Cleveland for All.
