Vocal Critic Of Mayor Leads in Fundraising

His list of contributors includes names from the city's social services community, where Gray has spent a majority of his career. But he also received more than $20,000 from individuals and businesses involved in the city's parking industry and is drawing substantial support from the hospitality industry, both of which were targeted for tax increases last fall under a plan designed by Patterson to raise $1 billion to modernize public schools. Patterson did not consult business leaders about the idea, which failed to gain support.

"It's not what she did as much as how she did it," said Emily Durso, president of the Hotel Association of Washington, D.C., which has endorsed Gray. "We don't like surprises."

Patterson said she wanted to get school modernization on the agenda and, in the end, the money for schools came from other sources of revenue. "I knew full well whatever the committee proposed would be changed," she said. "It was an important step to get the bill through."

In the at-large council race, incumbent Phil Mendelson (D) raised $50,315 compared with the $100,790 raised by of his chief opponent, A. Scott Bolden, a K Street lawyer and former chairman of the D.C. Democratic Party. Bolden tapped construction companies, local businesses and other lawyers and loaned the campaign $8,500 this period, bringing the total amount of personal loans to $51,000.

"That's not much compared to what we've raised," Bolden said. "That was to start up the campaign. . . . It's kind of hard for me to ask [contributors] to invest with their vote and their money if I don't give."

In the ward races, Ward 6 council hopeful Tommy Wells was the only candidate in six-digit fundraising, with a total of $101,049.

In the Ward 3 race, Bill Rice, former D.C. Transportation Department spokesman, is the fundraising front-runner with $72,566. Contributors to his campaign included Herbert S. Miller of Western Development and Mark H. Tuohey, chairman of the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission. Shadow senator Paul Strauss was not far behind, with a total of $64,654, much of which came from his father's painting company and employees of his law firm.

In Ward 5, the two candidates with the most name recognition -- Harry Thomas Jr., son of the late Harry Thomas Sr. (D-Ward 5), and Frank Wilds, former president of the Ward 5 Democrats -- also appeared to have the most money in a race that now has 17 candidates.

Staff writers David Nakamura and Elissa Silverman contributed to this report.