Lasater, Zadeh break from pack in Fort Worth City Council money race

By Scott Nishimura snishimura@bizpress.net

With eight days remaining before the May 10 election, Ed Lasater and Ann Zadeh separated themselves from the rest of the pack in the money-raising race to capture the District 9 Fort Worth City Council seat that Joel Burns is leaving, according to the candidates’ latest campaign finance reports filed Friday.

Political action committees for the most part were still on the sidelines. The candidates and leaders of some of the PACs have said they expect a runoff between the top two vote-getters – one would be forced if nobody gets at least 50 percent of the vote in a week – and that the PACs may weigh in then.

Lasater, a Fort Worth lawyer and businessman who lives in Berkeley, reported $21,981.25 in contributions for April, for a total $59,645.35 for the campaign. He reported $47,616.77 in unspent political contributions and $10,000 in outstanding loans he made to his campaign.

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Lasater also reported $16,452.94 in expenses for April, for a total $25,048.15 so far.

Zadeh, an ex-city planner and former chair of the Fort Worth Zoning Commission who lives in Bluebonnet Hills, reported $22,963.61 in contributions in April, for a total $48,220.21 so far. She reported $23,959.04 in political contributions on hand and $15,000 in outstanding loans she made to her campaign.

Zadeh also reported $16,42.94 in expenses for April, for a total $34,309.89.

Bernie Scheffler, who ownsTrinity Bicycles downtown and lives in Ryan Place, reported $2,010 in contributions in April, for a total $15,767 so far. He reported $2,895.04 in political contributions on hand.

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Scheffler also reported $3,643.31 in expenses, for a total $9,575.35 so far.

Greg Hughes, a Lockheed Martin F-35 engineer, reported $4,170 in contributions for April, giving him a total $5,920 for the campaign. He reported $1,695.04 in political cash on hand. He also maintains $10,000 in loans he’s made to his campaign.

Hughes reported $2,474.96 in expenses for April, for a total $5,245.83 through the campaign so far.

The report for Margot Garza, TCU director of student support services who lives in Ryan Place, was not available late Friday.

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In her other report, required 30 days before the election, she reported $7,865 in political contributions and $1,641.37 in expense.

Juan Rangel III, a sixth candidate who filed to run listing the Fairmount address of his father, former Fort Worth school trustee Juan Rangel Jr., hasn’t actively campaigned or filed the required campaign finance reports.