Hamilton County Democrats were excited in May when the number of their primary voters exceeded those of Republican primary voters for the first time in years.
It may titillate them further to know that Mark Herndon, their candidate for Hamilton County mayor, and two challenger candidates for Hamilton County commissioner outraised their opponents in the second quarter of 2026, according to campaign financial reports filed with the Hamilton County Election Commission.
(ENDORSEMENT: Free Press Opinion: Fast-moving Wamp has earned second term as county mayor)
But we don’t believe the fundraising totals are a harbinger of things to come any more than the primary votes were.
For better or for worse, incumbents often have plenty of money on hand from previous campaigns, so their fundraising isn’t quite as crucial as that of candidates making their first run for office, who both have to tell people who they are and make sure their candidacy is visible.