Money may be key in statewide races, but post-election campaign finance reports for Howard County show it has limited value locally.
County Executive James N. Robey, a Democrat, won a second term with more than twice the money raised by Republican challenger Steven H. Adler, though each collected less than $9,000 in the last month, according to reports due yesterday.
Yet, Republican state Sen. Sandra B. Schrader raised less than half the money Democrat C. Vernon Gray did and still won their Senate contest. In the hottest County Council race, Republican Joan Lancos raised and spent more than Democrat Ken Ulman in the final month of their west Columbia race, but she still lost in that heavily Democratic district.
"You have to figure a lot of it depends on the candidate," said Wendy Fiedler, Howard's Democratic Party leader.
Robey, she pointed out, won in 1998 though he was outspent 2-1 by Republican candidate Dennis R. Schrader. "In Adler's case," she said, "he didn't have any issues. He tried to make it the economy, and it wasn't there."
Adler said Robey's 60 percent winning margin surprised him, but shows that more money would not have changed the outcome. "People were not upset with where we are and what's going on," he said.
He ended up with $8,223 left, and, unlike others, he did not lend money to his campaign. Robey raised $208,945 overall to Adler's $90,837, and had $27,456 left.
"There was nothing else to spend it on," Robey said, explaining that he set out to raise $170,000. "I felt very comfortable with the plan we had."
Said Fiedler: "I think in Howard County, money will not carry the day. The voters will look at other things besides what money is paying for."
"Money does play a role, there's no doubt about it," Senator Schrader said. But she said she planned a conservative campaign -- never sure how much she could raise in the six months after the General Assembly session ended in April.
She raised $22,260 in the last month, compared with $41,624 that Gray raised in the same period.
Overall, Schrader collected $95,133 to Gray's $200,202. However, he lent his campaign 25 percent that, while Schrader lent hers only $10,000.
Lancos raised $29,000 in the campaign's final month. Ulman raised $20,890 during that time, but got 59 percent of the vote.
"Showing you can raise money makes you in some ways more credible," said Ulman, who has $9,986 in outstanding bills and $3,226 left to pay them. "But Howard voters have shown that money doesn't buy elections."
Ulman raised and spent most of his money on a hotly contested Democratic primary against Mary Kay Sigaty, who lost by 36 votes, so he was anxious not to allow Lancos a big advantage.
"I am the only candidate who really had two competitive elections," he said.
Lancos said she could have used more money and time.
"We did a poll [which cost $12,500]. One of the things we learned was that I did not have sufficient name recognition. I wish I had another week or two," she said.
Lancos, a former Planning Board chairwoman, received $6,000 from Republican Party sources who thought she had a chance to tip the five-member County Council to GOP control, and $7,500 from business and development interests -- something Ulman criticized for the potential influence they might expect if she won.
Ulman said that was a legitimate topic, though he, too, got money from development interests, as did Robey.
"I look forward to working closely with the business community," Ulman said.
Lancos said her business contributions did not make her feel beholden to anyone, a position Robey also took.
"It doesn't affect me. People who supported my opponent have access to me," Robey said, noting that he refused several donations because he thought the donors might want a specific return. He declined to name the donors he refused.
Several candidates, such as Gray, House primary loser Ada Borhorfoush and Del.-elect Neil Quinter, lent their campaigns $20,000 to $53,000. Adler, though, did not.
"There were a couple of people who commented to me, 'Why aren't you putting your own money into it?'" Adler said.
"In part, I set aside my business interests, my summer vacation and put everything I had into it, both physically and emotionally," he said, indicating that was enough. "I really wanted to be Howard County executive -- if the residents of Howard County wanted me."