A recent SettleTalk "Has Caddo Sheriff Candidate Whitehorn's Contribution Base Dried Up?" is reprinted below.
This article noted that Caddo Sheriff candidate Henry Whitehorn had raised less than $5,000 in the Feb.13 through March 14 reporting period. In that same interval his opponent John Nickelson had raised almost $97,000.
Since that date Whitehorn has not filed any candidate special reports with the Louisiana Ethics Administration showing additional contributions. Presumably this is accurate, but Whitehorn's earlier false campaign report not reflecting $35,000 in expenses leaves some doubt.
Since March 14, Nickelson has filed two additional campaign finance reports. These reflect cash contributions of $15,750 plus an in-kind contribution of $1,360. Nickelson has now raised over $112,000 since Feb. 12.
From the perspective of fundraising, it appears that the momentum has clearly moved to Nickelson. At this juncture of the campaign, almost all citizens have decided their sheriff candidate choice, the only question is which citizens actually vote.
HAS CADDO SHERIFF CANDIDATE WHITEHORN'S CONTRIBUTION BASE DRIED UP?
It’s an old, but true, political cliche--money is the mother's milk of politics.
The latest campaign finance reports filed by Caddo sheriff candidates reveal startling contrasts.
The Louisiana Ethics Administration website lists all the reports.
Checking the reports filed for the period from Feb. 13 through yesterday (March 14) Henry Whitehorn had raised less than $5,000. In contrast John Nickelson had raised almost $97,000.
Whitehorn's last report did not include an in-kind contribution from the Urban League that recently published and distributed push cards promoting him. This could be another false campaign report much like an earlier one this year that failed to report $35,000 in expenses.
Fundraising is critical to a campaign. Just as important as the actual dollars received is the political support that donations bring in the form of an implied endorsements and votes.
No doubt Whitehorn's continued media isolation--at least in mainstream media--is a major factor. A candidate that refuses to communicate with mainstream media sends a bad message to say the least.
Additionally, the continued violent crime in the parish brings to the foreground Whitehorn's campaign promise to not allow a stop-and-frisk if elected. This despite the fact that stop-and-frisk proved to be a very effective proactive policing tactic when he was the Shreveport Police Chief for almost three years.
Whitehorn has not given a public explanation for this campaign promise.
Additionally, Whitehorn has allowed his campaign message to be broadcast through local individuals like Alvin Oliver in his Keeping it Real podcast and Facebook postings. Oliver has resorted to fearmongering by preaching that the lives of voters are at stake in this election. Others in the Whitehorn campaign camp have made race the sole criteria for voters.
Lastly, it has become blatantly apparent that Whitehorn has only focused his campaign in recent months on attracting African American voters. Implicitly, Whitehorn has promoted racial division in the parish, a tactic that has lost him support throughout the parish. And seemingly he has alienated white voters in the parish, or at least abandoned hope in getting their votes.
Each candidate will be spending large sums in the next week to promote their campaigns. By now almost all voters have made their candidate decision. The only question being whether or not citizens actually go to the polls. Recent fundraising shows that the Nickelson campaign has more momentum than Whitehorn.