Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Hale, James B.

After the SGA implemented a $3,500 spending cap for executive election bids, candidates this year are getting by with less.

But some things remain the same. Most money continues to come from the hopefuls' own pockets and the generous hands of friends and family members. Still, the candidate who raised the most money this year raked in just more than half of the amount spent by current Student Government Association President Andrew Friedson in last year's run, campaign finance records released yesterday show.

HOUSE party candidate Mardy Shualy raised $3,250, followed by Students party candidate Jonathan Sachs, who pulled in $3,075. Independent candidate Dan Leydorf has raised about $280 for his campaign.

This contrasts sharply with Friedson's campaign, which spent nearly $6,000. Two years prior, former SGA President Andrew Rose raised about $5,000.

Though the amount of funding is reduced, the three candidates said they are making it work for them.

For Leydorf, the vast majority of his funds came from small-scale campaigns - such as yesterday's bake sale in front of the Stamp Student Union - and were spent on leaflets and chalk. While the bake sale was partially aimed at recouping some out-of-pocket costs, it was also a way to get his name out there.

"This is a great way to meet people," Leydorf said as he stood surrounded by cookies, brownies and cupcakes with the small message of "DAN" written in pink frosting across the tops. All the items were being sold for 50 cents each and came with a complimentary handout outlining Leydorf's COST Promise platform.

While the independent said he did not expect to make more than $50 in a day from his bake sale efforts, Leydorf added that because the vast majority of his campaign funding came from him and donations from friends and family, anything he could raise was a step forward.

"Every little bit helps," said Leydorf, who said though he has been conservative with his campaign spending, it is not for a lack of funds.

"The biggest disadvantage that we have is not financial," he added. "It's that, come election day, it will be a lot harder to reach people and get them to vote."

Matt Verghese, Sachs' campaign manager, said much of Sachs' campaign funds came from the "generous" contributions of the friends and families of people running on the Students Party slate.

"About two-thirds of the money came from the 35 people we have in our party," he said. "The rest came from outside sources - friends, people we know or work for, people who aren't officially running."

Continued...

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