Democrat Marc Elrich, who is running to be the next Montgomery County executive, has more than a two-to-one edge in funding over Republican Robin Ficker, according to campaign finance reports.
As of Oct. 1, Elrich had $391,016 in cash, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections campaign finance database, and has requested an additional $188,882 from the county in public financing. That would give him a total of almost $580,000, should he receive all of the requested funds.
Elrich, an outgoing county council member, raised $388,678 between July 3 and Oct. 1, of which $111,337 is from private contributors. He had raised the maximum amount of $750,000 in matching public funds during the Democratic primary campaign. Elrich won the June 26 primary against five other Democratic candidates
Ficker had $235,985 in cash as of Oct. 1, with an additional $8,370 in county funds requested, which would give him a total of just over $243,000. Ficker has received $240,975 in public financing since the beginning of July. He received no public money in September.
Elrich and Ficker are both using the county’s new public financing system, which allows candidates to receive up to $750,000 in matching funds from the county per election cycle as long as they do not accept contributions of greater than $150 or money from political action committees.
Independent candidate Nancy Floreen, who entered the county executive race in August and is relying entirely on private contributions, must file her next campaign finance disclosure report by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 26 — when Elrich and Ficker will also be required to file pre-election campaign finance reports. Floreen’s most recent report, dated Aug. 28, shows that she had raised $342,015 in private contributions between July 2 and Aug. 21. But factoring in expenditures, she had $135,832 in cash on hand.
Floreen, a four-term Democratic member of the county council, is being supported for county executive by the super PAC County Above Party, which was started in August by developer Charles K. Nulsen III. That super PAC had raised $155,500 between Aug. 29 and Sept. 21, and had $115,401 in cash on hand when factoring in expenditures.
Floreen’s campaign announced earlier this month that it would be returning $18,000 in contributions in response to a board of elections complaint filed Sept. 15 that alleges she accepted contributions of more than $6,000 from common entities, which is a violation of Maryland election law.
Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@bethesdda-remix.newspackstaging.com