ANDOVER — Barry Finegold has been working with about $243,900 during his campaign to succeed state Sen. Susan Tucker, the most money among the five candidates running for the 2nd Essex and Middlesex Senate seat.
Tucker, D-Andover, announced in March that she would not seek re-election. Since then there have been three Democrats, two Republicans and an independent looking to fill the seat that Tucker has held for more than a decade.
Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 27, Finegold — a state representative in the 17th Essex District — has spent about $133,506 in his state Senate campaign, according to campaign finance records.
Yesterday was the deadline for candidates seeking state office in November to file campaign revenue and expenses with the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The records show each candidate's revenue sources and expenditures between Jan. 1 and Aug. 27.
Campaign records show that Democrat Debbie Silberstein has been working with about $93,602 and Democrat Jack Wilson has been working with approximately $66,986.
Finegold started with a balance of $93,798, which is the amount of campaign money raised before Jan. 1, according to Jason Tait, spokesman for the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
Silberstein started with about $232 and Wilson started with nothing.
Not only does Finegold have the largest total campaign budget of the three Democrats running for Tucker's seat, he has used the least amount of his own money in the campaign. His wife, Amy, contributed $500 toward the campaign but no money has been taken from his own pocket.
Wilson, of Andover, has loaned his campaign $37,660 of his own money, which is included in his total amount of $66,986.
"I put my money up on this race because it matters," Wilson said yesterday. "It isn't just about money ... it is about electing someone with the right ideas, right motivation and ability to lead."
He said he didn't want the race to be dictated by the amount of money raised or spent by each candidate and said he put in enough money into the campaign to be able to compete.
"I needed to show I was making a serious commitment," Wilson said.
Silberstein, also of Andover, said she loaned her campaign $7,000, but said she raised most of her money during what she called a "grass-roots campaign."
"I contacted everybody I know," Silberstein said. "As a first-time candidate I am honored and touched by the grass-roots support I've received on a local level."
Although she said she raised most of her money by making phone calls, she also has held a number of fundraisers.
Finegold has had to return a number of his contributions during his campaign.
He recently came under fire from Silberstein and Wilson for accepting campaign contributions from a developer facing federal charges, while earlier in the campaign Finegold himself admitted his campaign violated campaign finance laws by listing the names of public employees on fliers.
He returned $1,000 in contributions received from a Dracut event that had been advertised in some of those fliers. He could not be reached for comment last night.
The two Republicans also seeking the Senate seat are working with far less money than all three of the Democrats.
Tewksbury Republican Patrick Rahilly is working with about $2,500 and Andover Republican Jamison Tomasek is working with about $18,417.
• • •
Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.
Total campaign funds for 2nd Essex and Middlesex state Senate candidates
Candidate Money raised
Barry Finegold, Democrat$243,895
Debbie Silberstein, Democrat $93,602
Jack Wilson, Democrat $66,986
Patrick Rahilly, Republican $2,510
Jamison Tomasek, Republican $18,417
Jodi Oberto $1,250
Source: Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance website
