Council candidate has raised more than $10K for upcoming election

Abbott is seeking re-election on Nov. 3 to one of the open Fairfield City Council at-large seats he currently holds.

According to the Ohio Secretary of State, any campaign committee of a candidate of a non-statewide, non-county or non-judicial office must file a semi-annual report if it raised $10,000 and did not file a post-primary election report.

The semi-annual report records campaign contributions from the last filed report through June 30. Abbott filed a campaign finance report on Jan. 7 with $1,000 in contributions. Half of those contributions were from the Duke Energy Corporation State Political Action Committee. Abbott is a regional manager for Duke Energy.

In the semi-annual report filed, the first-term councilman raised another $14,100 through donations and two loans.

No donation was larger than $500. He received three $500 donations.

The loans were from Abbott ($5,000) and Charlie Wiedenmann ($2,500). Wiedenmann is the treasurer for the Committee to Elect Tim Abbott.

Abbott has spent $1,862.89 on his campaign, with just more than $1,800 going toward advertising.

During Abbott's council run four years ago, he raised $25,500 and was the top vote-getter.

Any city resident who wants to seek one of the three at-large city council seats must file petitions by Aug. 5, 90 days before the Nov. 3 election. Fairfield’s charter dictates the early filing.

Potential candidates for all other Butler County races must file by Aug. 20 — 75 days before the election.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or mpitman@coxohio.com.