Solely through grassroots, small-dollar donations from individual supporters, Kristin Mink leads District 5 candidates for County Council in fundraising numbers, according to campaign reports which were due yesterday. The former MCPS teacher, now community organizer and legislative advocate, reported the greatest amount and number of total donations, as well as the greatest amount and number of Montgomery County donations of all District 5 candidates seeking public financing.
Mink is the only public financing District 5 candidate reporting over 200 Montgomery County donors this early in the race. Under Montgomery County's public financing system, local donors to candidates who forego corporate, PAC, and large individual donations get their donations multiplied by county funds.
Those matching funds make Mink the only candidate with more funding than candidate Jeremiah Pope, who has opted out of the public matching system in favor of being able to accept corporate contributions. (This calculation also excludes the $40,000 that candidate loaned to his own campaign.)
Mink has assembled more than 100 volunteers, including the Students For Mink. The middle and high schoolers on the youth wing of the campaign, in addition to canvassing and phone-banking, have taken on leadership roles and gained experience in areas from social media to voter data analysis to cutting turf.
“I am so moved by the grassroots enthusiasm we’ve seen for this campaign,” said Mink. “From donations to volunteer engagement, the community has come together to catapult us into this strong position, and I’m so excited about what we’re going to accomplish together. It’s clear that this campaign is speaking to people across District 5 and Montgomery County.”
Mink, a prominent activist and mother of two, will tackle the housing and eviction crises, take bold climate action, develop walkable and transit-connected communities, expand healthcare access for low-income and undocumented neighbors, finally deliver on development promises in East County, reimagine public safety, equitably fund schools, and more. If elected, she will be the first Asian American to sit on the Montgomery County Council
###