CORRECTION: This story originally incorrectly listed the amount Macon Occupational Medicine donated to Larry Schlesinger. They gave $100.
The race to see who will be the next mayor of Macon-Bibb is nearly two years away, but two candidates have already raised more than $140,000 in campaign contributions.
Lester Miller has raised more than $93,000 through June 30 and has $80,000 on hand, according to records filed with the Bibb County Board of Elections.
Larry Schlesinger has raised more than $52,000 and has $48,000 on hand.
So far, they are the only two announced candidates who have formed campaign committees to raise money.
Miller is an attorney and president of Bibb County's Board of Education. Schlesinger is a rabbi and current Bibb County commissioner.
The records show that Miller has picked up his fundraising this spring while Schlesinger's has slowed.
Since the last reporting date, Jan. 31, 2018, Miller has raised more than $43,000 to Schlesinger's $9,600.
Miller's donations include:
- $7,800 from three amusement companies that run coin-operated games
- $7,500 from employees of the ICB construction company in Macon.
- $5,700 from past or present Bibb school board members and at least one donation from a school-board employee
On Schlesinger's donor list:
- Macon Water Authority chairman Sam Hart
- District Attorney David Cooke
- Mercer University President William Underwood.
Robert Reichert will end his second term as Macon-Bibb's mayor in 2020 and the county charter says he can't run for a third term.
Candidates for Macon-Bibb mayor will qualify in March 2019.
Here is a partial list of their top donors:
MILLER DONORS
Blake Lisenby, lawyer, $1,000
Lokey Chiropractic, $500
Thomas Courson, Robins Air Force Base, $1,000
Craig Ross, Macon Transit Authority director, $250
Ronnie Bland, roofing company, $1,000
Bland Roofing, Macon, $1,000
Joseph Prine, attorney, $2,000 (2)
Ronnie Gilbert, accountant, $1,000
Allstar Amusment, $2,600
Epic Amusement, $2,600
Tom Hill, realtor, $1,000
Sapphire Amusement, McDonough, $2,600
Michael Chidester, attorney, $2,500
Kara Chidester, homemaker, $2,500
Doye Green, attorney, $2,000
Charles Jones, Fort Valley State, $500
Macon Occupational Medicine, $500
Daryl Long, ICB, $2.500
Progressive Group, Mcon, $2,500
Stull Chiropractic, Macon, $1,000
Donna Stuff, $1,500
Larry Crumbley, realtor, $2,600
Cathy Crumbley, reitred, $2,600
ANS Connect Inc., Milledgeville, $2,600
William Miller, records clerk, $2,500
Ronnie Blalock, ICB, $2,500
Kenna Scragg, ICB, $2,500
Church Street Developers, Macon, $200
Susan Sipe, bookkeeper, $2,600
Thelma Dillard, retired, $500
Cartese Dillard, Bibb schools, $250
Jason Downey, lawyer, $2,500
Allen Freeman, businessman, $250
SCHLESINGER DONORS
Sam Hart, water authority chairman, $250
Laura & Milton Heard, funeral director, $100
Jaime Kaplan, United Way, $100
Karen Lambert, Peyton Anderson Foundation, $100
Lowe Aviation, $200
Bertram Maxwell III, furniture, $250
Albert & Sally McKay, contractor, $1,000
Mufid Othman, physician, $1,000
Mutual Financial Group, Macon, $100
Thomas Woodbery, banker, $500
Henry Oliner, senior vice president, $1,000
Charles Jones, Bass Road, retired, $700
Stewart Vernon, America's Swimming Pool CEO, $2,700
Neil Cullinan, retired, $300
Joseph Satuma, CPA, $1,500
Sue Bloodworth, retired, $1,000
Maurice Solis, Macon Cardiovascular, $1,000
Lee Johnson, Valdosta, $1,000
Wisconsin Mining & Machine Co., Macon, $1,000
Thomas Price, physician, $1,000
David Frolich, cardiologist, $1,000
Jarome Gautreaux, attorney, $1,000
Milton Butler, business owner, $500
Blake Lisenby, attorney, $1,000
Kristen West, Macon, $500
Charlotte McMullen, CFO, $500
S&S Cafeterias, $500
Evan Koplin, Schnitzer Steel, $1,500
Swift Enterprises, Macon, $2,500
Miriam Schlesinger, Maryland, $1,000
Maurice Purcel, Florida, $1,800
Adams Law Firm, $1,000
Marshall Butler, auto dealer, $300
Jan Beeland, Macon Arts Council, $250
Swift Enterprises, Macon, $2,500
William Underwood, Mercer University, $2,000
Bashinsky Jewelry, $1,000
Macon Occupational Medicine, $100
David Cooke, district attorney, $250
David Thompson, Macon, $1,000
Schlesinger also made two $1,000 donations to himself