Des Moines mayoral candidates raise nearly $700K in campaign donations combined

Des Moines' candidates for mayor raised a combined nearly $700,000 to run their campaigns for the 2023 election, according to filings with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

The funds, including cash and in-kind contributions, were raised between candidates Connie Boesen, Denver Foote, Josh Mandelbaum and reported to the disclosure board, the state agency responsible for administering campaign finance laws. Mayoral candidate Chris W. Von Arx did not file campaign finance information.

The candidates raised 20% more than in the 2019 cycle, when former Sen. Jack Hatch attempted to unseat Mayor Frank Cownie. The money raised between them and Chase Holm totaled $573,156.97 including loans, according to finance data.

Campaign reports, which cover fundraising and spending from Jan. 1 through Oct. 28, were due at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 2. Another report will be due Jan. 19.

More: FAQ: Here's what you need to know for Election Day in the Des Moines metro

The election is Tuesday.

Here's a look at campaign finances for the mayoral race.

How much did mayoral candidates raise in total?

Boesen, Foote and Mandelbaum raised a collective $690,124.72 for the 2023 mayoral elections, according to campaign finance disclosure summaries from each candidate.

Boesen received the most cash and in-kind contributions with $401,287.03. Mandelbaum followed with $283,767.69. Foote received $5,070.

Both Boesen and Mandelbaum started with a chunk of cash at the start of the election period. Boesen started with $9,088.63. Mandelbaum had $97,259.16.

How much did the mayoral candidates spend?

From yard signs to advertising, the three candidates collectively spent about as much as they took in — nearly $700,000 — sparing no expense to fund their campaigns.

Boesen and Mandelbaum both spent the bulk of their cash on consultants for their campaigns, which included campaign strategy consulting, polling and ads, the disclosure summaries show.

Mandelbaum has spent the most on his campaign at $353,174.63, according to the disclosure summary. His largest expenses included more than $140,000 in TV advertising with Atlanta-based Canal Partners Media, nearly $83,000 to Massachusetts-based Agency Strategies for mail consultant, and another $35,000 for campaign consulting, according to the summary. After expenses, Mandelbaum reported having $25,514.89 on hand.

More: Des Moines mayor race candidates share stances on key issues. Where do they vary?

Boesen has shelled out $342,943.49 on her campign. Her largest expenses included nearly $160,000 to DC-based Strothers Nuckles Strategies for advertising; about $107,000 in local media spots through stations such as WHO-TV, KCCI-TV, KDSM-TV and OnMedia/Des Moines; and almost $44,000 to Des Moines-based PAD Consulting for direct mail printing and design. After expenses, Boesen reported having $65,637.38 on hand.

Foote has spent $2,632.32 on their campaign. Their largest expenses have included about $900 for campaign yard signs printed at Staples; $600 to the Iowa Democratic Party; and $300 to the Urbandale-based Speed of South LLC for a campaign fundraising event. After expenses, Foote has reported having $1,575.35 on hand.

Significant donations for Boesen come from Des Moines developers, prominent families

Significant donations for Boesen include Walter Lauridsen, who gave a total of $15,500 throughout the campaign. His father, Nixon Lauridsen, contributed $5,000.

Des Moines attorney Gary Dickey contributed $10,000. Another $10,000 came from J. Elder II, of the Elder Corporation Moving & Grading. Other prominent figures included Doug and Deborah Reichardt, who donated $5,000. Doug Reichardt is the former CEO of Holmes Murphy, a Waukee-based insurance company;

Des Moines developers also pitched in: $4,000 came from Tim Rypma, of Des Moines Rypma Properties real estate company; and at least $7,500 from William Knapp, of Knapp Properties Commercial & Residential Real Estate.

Members of the Cownie family, including James and Paul Cownie, donated a collective $6,000. Current Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie did not donate to Boesen's campaign.

Boesen, who received an endorsement from three of her council colleagues, also received cash from them. Ward 4 council member Joe Gatto contributed $100, and Susan Voss, the wife of at-large ward council member Carl Voss, contributed $1,000 over the course of the campaign.

With nearly 900 contributions, Boesen said she's "humbled" by the donations and support she's seen.

"People have trust in me and they know that I will work hard," Boesen said of the donations.

Denver Foote relies on grassroots support

Foote relied on grassroots support from around 200 individual donors giving amounts like $1, $5, and $10.

Some repeating contributors included residents such as:

• Chris Biagini — $68

• Adam Falk — $90

• Zach Humble — $250

• Adam Callanan — $300

Foote also had nearly $900 worth of in-kind contributions for items like fundraising events, campaign headshots and web hosting fees.

Foote says their numbers show that a grassroots campaign is "possible" but it's "intimidating" to go against people who are heading into their campaigns with substantial amounts of money.

"You have to be very strong. I feel like this grassroots campaign like, I didn't hire a campaign manager. I did everything myself, from like cutting turf to writing scripts to setting up phonebanks and running all of them," Foote said. "It's intimidating but it's possible if you have your community, like, I would say like, I wouldn't be where I am without my community."

More: Election Day in Iowa is approaching. Your guide on Des Moines metro candidates, issues:

PACs and local unions largely make up Mandelbaum's donations

With more than 1,200 contributions, Mandelbaum's campaign received more donations than any other Des Moines mayoral campaign on record, according to Ben Baitman, Mandelbaum's campaign manager.

“I’m proud to have had more individual donations than any Mayoral campaign on record in Des Moines," Mandelbaum said in a statement. "The broad-based and grassroots support of our campaign demonstrates that the public is ready for a new generation of leadership."

Significant cash contributions for Mandelbaum's campaign include his father, Norman Mandelbaum, who gave a total of $20,000 throughout the campaign.

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand gave $10,000.

Mandelbaum's campaign also saw significant campaign contributions from multiple political action committees, including:

• The Laborers' PAC — $15,000

• Central Iowa Building and Construction Trades Council PAC — $6,000

• Operating Engineers Local 234 Political Fund — $5,000

• North Central States Carpenter PAC of St. Paul, Minnesota — $5,000

• Greater Than PAC of Washington, D.C. — $2,965

• Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union #33 — $2,000

Editor's note: Tim Rypma's name and company, Rypma Properties, have been changed to reflect the correct spelling.

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Who raised, spent the most in the Des Moines mayoral election 2023?