Suburban money fueling Cleveland mayoral race
Updated Feb 06, 2021;
CLEVELAND, Ohio – More than half of all dollars rolling into high-profile mayoral candidates’ coffers during the past reporting period did not come from the city of Cleveland, instead filtering in from the suburbs or elsewhere in Ohio.
That figure comes from an analysis of campaign finance disclosures filed for the latest reporting period from July through December by five of the top-tier candidates who are exploring a run or have entered the race to succeed Mayor Frank Jackson – who hasn’t ruled out a run for a fifth term.
Cleveland City Council President Kevin Kelley, City Councilman Blaine Griffin, former Mayor Dennis Kucinich and 2017 mayoral hopeful Zack Reed all received a majority of their donations from outside Cleveland, most of it from familiar suburbs such as Shaker Heights or Lakewood. Nonprofit executive Justin Bibb, the only candidate who has officially declared a run, was the only candidat