Joe Smith is running for the Chattanooga City Commission.Nearly $40,000 in campaign contributions have been made in the last four months to two men seeking a County Commission seat that pays $22,230 a year.
Not only that, but the winner of Tuesday's District 3 special election will have to come back in less than two years and, should he choose, ask for support for a full term.
Since developers, Realtors and members of local and state governmental bodies have poured money into the campaigns of both candidates, they must consider that one vote on a commission of nine is well worth their contribution.
The race to fill the unexpired term of Marty Haynes, who was elected assessor of property in the August general election, pits Republican Greg Martin, a Realtor and member of the Hamilton County Board of Education, against independent Joe Smith, director of mission advancement for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga.
The combined contributions of $38,503 to both candidates - both of whom say they are conservative - since July 1 have seen the current and former 3rd District U.S. congressmen on different sides, former political enemies on Martin's side and two City Council members on opposite ends of the political spectrum on Smith's side.
Consider, for example, that former eight-term U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp contributed to Smith while the committee for current Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, now seeking his fourth term, contributed to Martin. Consider that Fleischmann and former Tennessee Republican Party chairwoman Robin Smith, both of whom ran for Congress in 2010, contributed to Martin. And consider that liberal Chattanooga City Councilman Chris Anderson and conservative City Councilman Larry Grohn contributed to Smith.
Among Hamilton County office holders, Haynes donated to Martin, and Sheriff Jim Hammond contributed to Smith.
Martin also tallied donations from Republican state Rep. Gerald McCormick and campaign committees for Republican state Sen. Bo Watson and Republican state Rep. Marc Gravitt. Former state senate candidate Greg Vital, former Hamilton County Board of Education candidate Dean Moorhouse and City Council candidate Darrin Ledford also made contributions.
Smith picked up donations from City Judge Russell Bean, former County Commissioner John Allen Brooks, former assessor of property candidate Sterling Jetton and former school board candidate Ralph Miller.
On Martin's side, EMJ Chief Executive Officer Jay Jolley and retired EMJ executive James Sattler have made contributions, while on Smith's side Capital Toyota executive Karla McKamey and retired Capital Toyota executive Bob McKamey have made donations.
Since July 1, Martin has taken in $12,576 and Smith $25,927. As of Oct. 29, Martin had $2,248.86 on hand and Smith $4,521,26.
Since both candidates claim to be conservatives, we'll be interested to see how, if at all, their contributions affect their commission votes.