Spicer, Sisitsky Neck-And-Neck In Mayoral Campaign Fundraising

FRAMINGHAM, MA — In the 2021 race for Framingham mayor, incumbent Yvonne Spicer is still in the lead in terms of campaign cash — but challenger Charlie Sisitsky out-raised Spicer in June, according to new campaign finance filings.

Spicer raised just over $3,600 in June, bringing her war chest to just under $37,000. However, Sisitsky raised nearly seven times that amount, bringing in $24,000 in the first month after he launched his campaign.

With Sisitsky's June haul, his campaign account is hovering around $34,000 after raising over $17,000 in May.

Sisitsky got help in June from some big name donors, including a $1,000 contributions from Cumberland Farms President Ari Haseotes, District 6 City Councilor Philip Ottaviani, Herb Connolly Auto Group President Christopher Connolly, School Committee candidate Jennifer Moshe and Samba Steak & Sushi owner Shi Zhang.

Sisitsky also took contributions from many high profile members of the local political community, including School Committee members Geoffrey Epstein and Ricky Finlay, City Council Vice Chair Adam Steiner, former councilor Cheryl Tully Stoll — and former Massachusetts governor William Weld.

As the sitting mayor, Spicer has been holding fundraisers throughout her time in office. She entered 2021 with about $30,000 in the bank. Spicer has also been spending more than any other mayoral candidate: she dropped over $1,600 in June, mostly to produce a campaign video. She spent over $1,300 in April, with the biggest expense to buy voter data from the state Democratic Party.

Some of Spicer's most notable donors in June included New Orleans political consultant and attorney Ike Spears, 135 Grill co-owner Mirian Lopes, Wayside Youth & Family CEO Eric Masi and Quincy City Councilor Nina Liang.

Carlos Valadares, the third candidate in the 2021 Framingham mayoral race, hasn't registered his campaign yet with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance, and so hasn't reported any fundraising. Rick McKenna last week announced that he was bowing out of the mayoral race to support Sisitsky.