At-large candidate Josh Lopez, a former campaign aide to Mayor Adrian Fenty, four-day city employee, and Fenty write-in campaign organizer, has raised a respectable $6,374 so far in his bid to win the April special election, according to today’s campaign finance report.
Not a bad haul for a young (27) upstart in a crowded field.
Nearly a third of the total donations comes from Fenty fraternity brother Omar Karim and his company Banneker Ventures (both gave $1,000). Banneker and Karim are at the heart of the ongoing council investigation, along with another fraternity brother Sinclair Skinner, into whether a few of Fenty friends improperly received city construction contracts. (Skinner’s brother Caribe Skinner, gave Lopez $30).
Lopez is a member of the same fraternity as Fenty, Karim, and Sinclair Skinner: Kappa Alpha Psi.
Lopez says he’s happy with his campaign’s take so far and says that most of his donors are “regular people who want to see a change.” He adds that he’s been putting in 14-hour days working Metro stops and going to community meetings. The next step, Lopez says, is to a door-knocking campaign that starts soon.
Update: Lopez’s amended report shows he raised $8,665.