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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard spent almost as much in campaign funds as he raised last year, as he contemplated whether to seek a third term.
Ballard started 2014 with $699,993 and ended with $707,353, according to political committee finance records filed Wednesday.
Along the way, he raised $387,688 and spent $380,327.
By far his largest expense was consulting services, which went beyond his usual work with local Republican strategist Jennifer Hallowell. Ballard spent $209,344 on consulting in total, including $48,000 with Hallowell.
The largest check, for $23,515, was cut in September to Brabender Cox, a Pittsburgh advertising firm that’s done work for U.S. Reps. Susan Brooks, Luke Messer and Todd Young.
Ballard also spent $44,500 with Mesta Consulting LLC, a fundraising consultant based in Fishers; $36,329 with JRS Consultants, the Indianapolis firm of Marty Obst, who is now finance director at Gov. Mike Pence’s campaign; and $50,000 with Public Opinion Strategies in Alexandria, Virginia.
Megan Robertson, who managed Ballard’s successful 2011 re-election campaign, also did some work for the mayor through the firm she started last year, FrontRunner Strategies LLC.
When Ballard announced Nov. 6 that he wouldn’t run again, he said he made the decision “despite knowing we could win.”
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