At-Large Council Veterans Lead in Post-Primary Financing

The at-large council candidates with the most votes in September's primary are also proving to be the ones with the most money in the bank leading up to the Nov. 2 election.

According to finance reports that were due Tuesday to the Rhode Island Board of Elections, former Councilor Harry Winthrop leads the pack, reporting $7,499.99 on hand 28 days before the election. Mayor Jeanne-Marie Napolitano is closely behind with $7,485.92, followed by Councilor Stephen Waluk, who reports having $4,112.78 in cash on hand. The reports calculated campaign finance activity from Sept. 7 to Oct. 4.

The three have also earned comparable campaign donations over the past month.

Napolitano has banked $985 in individual contributions since Sept. 7. Winthrop has earned $900, and Waluk, $850.

Both Napolitano and Winthrop received donations of $250 each from Newport Hotel Group Principals John Cohen and Douglas Cohen. Waluk received a $500 donation from Renee Cohen.

Winthrop earned another $250 from Tiverton resident Shirley W. Ellis, along with $200 in other donations totaling $100 or less. Napolitano received $250 more from Atlantic Technology Group owner Graeme Smith, and another $235 in donations totaling $100 or less.

Waluk rounded out his $850 with $250 from Newport Hotel Group's Eugene Goldstein, and another $100 in unitemized contributions.

Winthrop spent $4,706.81 over the past month. Approximately $2,000 of that went to an ad in the Newport Daily News. Another $1,071.02 went to lawn signs, business cards, and stickers; and another $748.60 went toward a meal for campaign workers at Sardella's. Invitations cost him $127.19. Another $250 went to donations of less than $100 or less.

Napolitano spent $270.45 over the past month on an ad in the Newport This Week and on storefront signs from Kinkos. She also donated $75 to Peter Martin's campaign and $25 to the Edward King House.

Waluk has spent $3,639.81 since Sept. 7 on a combination of supplies, printing, advertisements, sponsorships, stamps, and meals.

Incumbent Stephen Coyne has earned the most contributions of any of the candidates over the past month. He's also spent the least. The incumbent has earned $1,850 in individual contributions since Sept. 7, and according to his report, he's spent none of it yet. His ending balance as of Oct. 4 was $1,900.44.

In addition to receiving $250 each from Jon and Douglas Cohen, Coyne has also received $250 from Renee Cohen; $500 from Inn at Cliff Walk's John M. Shufelt; $250 from Casey Oil Company's William B. McGinn; and $200 from Moy Works' Christopher Moy.

Planning Board Chair Naomi Neville has spent the most money on her campaign over the past month, using $3,102.29 of her $3,189 balance. Expenses went toward advertising, postage, printing, lawn signs and stickers. Neville earned $500 in contributions over the past month, with $100 coming from Bill Corcoran; $250 from Steinemann Co.'s Melanie Steinemann; $50 from Susan Ruf; and $100 from Len Wittenberg. According to her report, she is left with just $87.

Susan Perkins has $1,608.85 on hand as of Oct. 5. Over the past month, the attorney has earned $100 in unitemized donations and applied a $1,000 loan toward her campaign, according to the finance report submitted Tuesday. She spent $250 on a Newport Democratic City Committee advertising booklet, and another $125 on a NAACP advertising booklet.

Herb Armstrong's most recent cash balance is $747.25. The candidate reported $255 in individual contributions over the past month, and spent $1,309.85. Contributions: $110 from Herbert Meister, $130 in a bank transfer and $25 from an unidentified individual. Armstrong's expenditures included brochures, fliers, signs and shirts.

Rebeca Bringhurst, who just made the cut onto the November ballot, has neither spent, nor earned, any money since the primary, according to her most recent report.

Note: some filed reports have not yet been processed by the RI Board of Elections. To view what each candidate submitted, look at the reports in the photo gallery above, or go here.