Here’s how much Dallas City Council candidates have raised and spent so far​on April 8, 2025 at 8:25 pm

DALLAS — Dallas City Council candidates have raised thousands for their campaigns ahead of the May election. Campaign finance reports have shed light on which candidates have raised the most and some of their notable wealthy donors. 

Incumbents, as expected, raised the most money. Far and away, the city council candidate who raised the most is Chad West, who’s the incumbent in District 1, representing North Oak Cliff, followed by Paula Blackmon, the incumbent in District 9, representing East Dallas, and Jeff Kitner, who’s running in District 11 in North Dallas.

Among the notable donors to city council candidates this election cycle appears to be billionaire Harlan Crow, who’s donated to incumbents Adam Bazaldua, Chad West, Kathy Stewart, Paula Blackmon, Zarin Gracey and Jaime Resendez, according to campaign finance records with the city. 

Wealthy Dallas developer Ray Hunt also appears to have donated to a slew of incumbent candidates this cycle, according to campaign finance records. Hunt and his family have advocated against a proposed Dallas-Fort Worth bullet train that’s come before the city council. 

With multiple open seats, the city council is guaranteed to have some new faces after the May 3 election.

Omar Narvaez in District 6, representing west and northwest Dallas, is term-limited, as is Tennell Atkins, representing District 8 in Southern Dallas, and Carolyn King Arnold in District 4, which includes the East Oak Cliff area in Southern Dallas, was also deemed ineligible to run because of term limits. Jaynie Schultz opted not to run again in District 11, representing Far North Dallas.

To determine campaign contributions, we examined three campaign finance reports filed between January 2024 and April of this year, if available. 

From new and returning candidates to incumbents, here’s how much each candidate has raised and spent this year so far. 

• Jason Vanhof: $100 in total political contributions and $1,718.24 in total political expenditures.
• Katrina Whatley: $18,314.87 in total political contributions and $8,432.16 in total political expenditures.
• Chad West (Incumbent): About $202,255 in total political contributions and about $132,574 in total political expenditures.

• Jesse Moreno (Incumbent): $72,575.32 in total political contributions and $24,111.07 in total political expenditures.
• Sukhbir Kaur: $200 in total political contributions and $3,160 in total political expenditures.

• Jesseca E. Lightbourne: $1,678.87 in total political contributions and $3,616.86 in total political expenditures.
• Zarin D. Gracey (Incumbent): $14,132.25 in total political contributions and $4,895.75 in total political expenditures.

• Kebran W. Alexander:  $5,275 in total political contributions and $13,517 in total political expenditures.
• Maxie Johnson: $66,440 in total political contributions and $46,023.29 in total political expenditures.
• Avis Hardaman: $2,425 in total political contributions and $1,593.65 in total political expenditures.

• Jaime Resendez (Incumbent): $27,095 in total political contributions and $18,373.89 in total political expenditures. 
• Elizabeth Matus: $230 in total political contributions and $919.03 in total political expenditures.

• David Blewett: $7,925 in total political contributions and $10,750 in total political expenditures.
• Monica Alonzo: $70,000 in total political contributions and $$57,317.96 in total political expenditures.
• Gabriel Kissinger: $0 in total political contributions and $614.18 in total political expenditures.
• Laura Cadena: $35,875 in total political contributions and $15,915.21 in total political expenditures.
• Machelle Wells: $10,035 in total political contributions and $2,670.08 in total political expenditures.
• Linus Spiller: $1,325 in total political contributions and $5,926.28 in total political expenditures. 

• O’Neil Hesson: $3,206.10 in total political contributions and $4,240.44 in total political expenditures.
• Adam Bazaldua (Incumbent): $59,779 in total political contributions and $24,885.73 in total political expenditures.
• Jose Rivas Jr.: $9,604.48 in total political contributions and 6,708.15 in total political expenditures.

• Erik Wilson: $8,358.12 in total political contributions and $4,837.43 in total political expenditures.
• Lorie Blair: $50,477 in total political contributions and $28,938.93 in total political expenditures.
• Subrina Brenham: $0 in total political contributions and $0 in total political expenditures.
• Eugene Ralph: About $7,408 in total political contributions and $1,329.43 in total political expenditures. 

• Paula Blackmon (Incumbent): $100,171.41 in total political contributions and $67,760.25 in total political expenditures. 
• Ernest Banda: $3.140 in total political contributions and $1,738.50 in total political expenditures. 

• Sirrano Baldeo: $0 in total political contributions and $0 in total political expenditures.
• Kathy Stewart (Incumbent): At least $32,800 in total political contributions and $1,213.80 in total political expenditures. 

• Kendal Richardson: $0 in total political contributions and $0 in total political expenditures 
• Mona Elshenawy: $288.92 in total political contributions and $732.02 in total political expenditures.
• Bill Roth: $34,811.91 in total political contributions and $67,471.64 in total political expenditures.
• Jeff Kitner: $93,196.38 in total political contributions and $37,402.46 in total political expenditures.

• Cara Mendelsohn: At least $72,414.45 in total political contributions and $29,388.24 in total political expenditures. 
• Marc Rossouw: $14,372.90 in total political contributions and $9,733.48 in total political expenditures. 
• Jose Cavazos: $100 in total political contributions and $126.39 in total political expenditures.

• Diane Benjamin: $26,302.65 in total political contributions and $7,791.25 in total political expenditures.
• Gay Donnell Willis (incumbent): $66,055 in total political contributions and $45,402.72 in total political expenditures.

• Paul Ridley (Incumbent): $17,262.72 in total political contributions and $542.11 in total political expenditures.