Lafayette mayor-president leads challengers in fund raising | State … – The Advocate

Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory, heading into the final 30 days before the Oct. 14 election, had more than $450,000 on hand for a final campaign push, twice as much as challenger Monique Blanco Boulet and three times as much as challenger Jan Swift.

But when it comes to campaign donations to the candidates in 2023, Guillory and Boulet were neck and neck.

Guillory started the year off with more than $400,000 already raised for his reelection bid.

Candidates for mayor-president were required to file campaign finance reports with the Louisiana Ethics Administration last week showing contributions and spending between Jan. 1 and Sept. 4.

Guillory and Boulet each received around $220,000 in campaign contributions this year, with challenger Jan Swift not far behind with $161,000 in contributions.

By comparison, at this time in the 2019 race for mayor-president without an incumbent in the fray, Guillory had received $41,600 in contributions.

Elected in November 2019, Guillory is seeking a second four-year term as mayor-president. Everyone in the race is registered as a Republican.

The Guillory campaign spent more than $200,000 this year, but still had $459,601 on hand heading into the primary election Oct. 14. His campaign reported receiving $4,000 from political committees since Jan. 1, $23,000 since he began campaigning.

Political action committee contributions to Guillory during the current reporting period included HNTB Holdings Ltd. PAC of Kansas City, Missouri, $2,000; Acadiana Home Builders Association Build PAC of Lafayette, $1,500; and Enterprise Holdings PAC of St. Louis, Missouri, $500.

Lafayette Parish Councilman John Guilbeau, a Republican from Lafayette who was reelected without opposition, donated $1,200 to Guillory during the current reporting period and another $650 in the previous reporting period, according to the campaign finance report.

Guillory’s campaign received $8,500 from hotels, including $5,750 from hotels in Lafayette Parish and $2,750 outside the parish.

Boulet’s campaign spent $101,000 and had $231,388 available for the final 30 days of the primary. Boulet is the only candidate in the race who reported using personal funds, $51,268, for her campaign.

She received $1,500 in donations from Lafayette Parish Assessor Conrad Comeaux and $2,500 from his campaign account, the Ethics Administration report shows. Comeaux is not seeking reelection.

Boulet also received $2,500 from the Mike Neustrom Campaign Fund. Neustrom is a former Lafayette Parish Sheriff who did not seek reelection. She received a $1,500 contribution from the Mills for Senate Committee, the committee for state Sen. Fred Mills, a Republican from Parks, who is term limited and not able to seek reelection, and $1,500 from the Willie L. Mount Campaign. Mount is a former mayor of Lake Charles.

Swift’s campaign spent $117,437 since Jan. 1, leaving her with $63,000 for the remainder of the primary campaign. She received a $200 donation from PARC PAC of Lafayette in June, the Ethics Administration report shows.

The Holly Boffy Campaign contributed $250 to the Swift campaign. Boffy is a member of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education from Lafayette.

Swift, an attorney, received several donations from attorneys, including R. Scott Iles, $2,500; Goode Law Firm, $2,000; Brandt and Sherman, $1,000; Tommy Alonzo, $500; Gordon Schoeffler, $250; and Patrick Wartelle, $250.

Early voting starts Sept. 30 and runs through Oct. 7, excluding Sunday, Oct. 1.