State Representative and Mobile mayoral candidate Barbara Drummond’s campaign recently announced that it has received a record number of small-dollar donations ahead of next Tuesday’s runoff election. According to the campaign, Drummond has received contributions from 2,321 individual donors—the most individual contributors to a municipal candidate in Mobile’s history—with a median donation of approximately $50.
The campaign went on to tout its small-dollar donation record as evidence of Drummond’s wide-reaching grassroots support.
“This unprecedented number of individual contributors demonstrates a deep and broad base of support from working families, teachers, retirees, small business owners, and everyday people from every corner of Mobile,” the campaign stated in an official press release Thursday.
Drummond said that she was “completely humbled and energized” by the grassroots support for her campaign, taking it as evidence that her policy platform is resonating with voters.
“This record isn’t just about campaign contributions; it’s about thousands of people investing in a shared vision for a Mobile that works for everyone,” Drummond stated. “It proves that our message of revitalizing every neighborhood, creating real economic opportunity, and leading with experience is resonating. This is what a people-powered movement looks like, and it’s the coalition that will carry us to victory in the runoff.”
Drummond’s reliance on small-dollar donations sits in stark contrast with the big-money fundraising of her opponent, former District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis, who outraised Drummond during the general election and has continued to do so ahead of the runoff. Campaign finance reports filed with the Alabama Secretary of State’s office reveal that Cheriogotis’ campaign has relied heavily on large donations from corporations and PACs, receiving several contributions of $10,000 or more in the weeks leading up to the runoff.
According to Drummond’s campaign manager Adline Clarke, that contrast in fundraising strategy is indicative of a deeper contrast between the two candidates’ visions for Mobile’s future.
“The choice in this runoff could not be clearer,” said Clarke. “We were outspent in the primary and still finished first because our campaign is fueled by the people of Mobile, not a handful of big checks. While our opponent is funded by the same corporate interests who are happy with a status quo that has left too many of our working families behind, our strength comes from having more people on our side. That is the momentum we’re carrying with us into the runoff on September 23rd.”
After finishing first in the polls during the August 26 municipal election with 32.4 percent of the vote, Drummond will look to beat out Cheriogotis once again in next Tuesday’s runoff. If she does so, Drummond will become the first Black woman mayor in Mobile’s history.
