Raimondo, Taveras lead candidates for R.I. governor in fundraising

Aug. 01--PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- General Treasurer Gina Raimondo continued her pattern of leading in the fundraising sweepstakes during the second quarter, raising some $780,000 and finishing with $2.97 million cash on hand, her campaign said Thursday.

But Raimondo, a Democrat, was not the only candidate to report large numbers in what is shaping up to be the most expensive governor's race in state history.

Providence mayor and fellow Democrat Angel Taveras raised some $409,142 during the quarter that ended June 30, raising $392,242 from individual donors and $16,900 from political action committees, according to a draft copy of his campaign finance report.

Taveras spent $445,777 during the April-to-June period, finishing with $1.3 million on hand.

The full reports for Raimondo and Taveras were not available as of The Journal's deadline, but they were available for the other major candidates for governor.

Democrat Clay Pell's report shows he raised $79,490 and loaned his campaign $1 million during the second quarter, upping his total for loans to the campaign to more than $3 million.

Pell, the grandson of former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell, listed about 450 individual donations, but he had none from political action committee donations, in keeping with one of his campaign pledges.

Many of those individual donations are small, just $5 or $10, and most of his $1,000 contributions -- the limit in Rhode Island -- came from out-of-state donors in New York, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., and Nevada.

Among Pell's highest-profile contributors: New York City-based fashion designer Vera Wang, who donated $1,000 on June 12. A former professional figure skater, Wang is known for creating fashions worn by Hollywood stars.

Also on his list is longtime Las Vegas casino executive Michael Gaughan. He gave $10 on April 29, but his wife, Paula Gaughan, donated $1,000 on April 15.

Michael Gaughan owns South Point, a casino located south of the Las Vegas strip, which has its own attached equestrian center.

Pell spent more than $1 million during the quarter, according to his report. His largest expense was for advertising with Washington, D.C.-based company Buying Time LLC, where he spent $477,029.

Among his other larger expenses was $36,038 paid to M Street Solutions, of Washington D.C., for research services, $18,780 to New York City-based Cenicola Consulting LLC, $15,000 to Amy Gubarra, of Warwick for consultant services and $10,424 for health insurance.

Republican Ken Block raised $68,184 and loaned his campaign another $100,000 during the second quarter, according to his report.

Block finished the quarter with $584,995 on hand, after spending $236,308.

His donors included former state Rep. Rodney Driver, D-Richmond ($100); former Supreme Court Justice and Central Falls receiver Robert Flanders ($500); former Rhode Island Taxpayers Coalition Executive Director Donna Perry ($250); and former congressional candidate Michael Riley ($750). He also received donations from three political action committees: Associated Builders and Contractors of Rhode Island ($500); Building Industry PAC ($200); and the MD Eye PAC (250).

Block's expenses included $119,209 for consulting and professional services, $66,971 for "employee services," $20,959 for advertising, $9,492 for rent and utilities, $6,905 for fundraising and $5,368 for office equipment and supplies.

Cranston Mayor Allan Fung, also a Republican, raised $147,043 during the quarter, according to his report.

Fung finished the quarter with $364,141 on hand, after spending $218,623.

His donors included Stephen A. Cardi, secretary/treasurer of Cardi Corp. ($750); former state Rep. Larry Ehrhardt, R-North Kingstown ($100); and Newport Bank Vice President Robert Maddock ($1,000).

He also received donations from the AMICA PAC ($500); the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 99 PAC ($100), and the Opticians PAC ($800).

Fung's expenses included $133,197 on advertising, $54,904 for consulting and professional services, $21,426 on fundraising and $3,243 with CMDI, a Virginia organization that describes itself as providing the country's largest "Republican campaign financial services platform."

The second-quarter reports were due Thursday.

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