Ballinger raises more than $80,000 for re-election

Incumbent Sedgwick County District Judge Richard Ballinger has raised more than $80,000 in his re-election campaign, easily surpassing challenger Zoe Newton, whose $47,000 in campaign funds include $30,000 in personal loans from herself.

Campaign finance reports filed Monday show that Sedgwick County’s only contested judge’s race has become the most expensive.

Ballinger, a Democrat, had more than $9,500 in cash on hand when his report was filed Monday while Newton, a Republican, had just over $2,300.

Ballinger’s funds include a $10,000 loan from himself, but the bulk of his money came in the form of small contributions from area lawyers. Many of Newton’s contributions were from businesses and businessmen, including Bill Warren. Both candidates said the bulk of their expenses went to advertising.

What does not show up in the reports are the cost of anti-Ballinger radio ads that were paid for by a Political Action Committee set up by Wink Hartman, Newton’s employer, Hartman said this week that he spent “a maximum of $3,000” on the anti-Ballinger ads.

This story was originally published October 30, 2012 at 10:38 PM with the headline "Ballinger raises more than $80,000 for re-election."