Dr. Campos-Spitze opens wide fundraising lead in '23 Greeley-Evans school board race
Appointed incumbent has raised more than all 7 other candidates combined
After jumping out to lead the eight candidates running for three seats on the Greeley-Evans District 6 school board in early June, appointed incumbent Dr. Brenda Campos-Spitze has rocketed past the competition in fundraising.
Dr. Campos-Spitze, who hosted a campaign launch party June 20, has raised $16,289.90 as of July 3, according to her campaign’s filing with the Colorado Secretary of State. That’s more than all seven other candidates combined ($15,625.59).
And the first-time candidate isn’t letting those funds go to waste; she’s spent $2,915.20 so far, more than all seven other candidates combined ($2,506.22). She has $13,650.70 cash on hand.
The election takes place Nov. 7. The three candidates with the most votes will win seats on the seven-member school board.
All but one candidate, Rasheed Garza Archuleta, had fundraising figures to report as of July 3. Here’s a quick breakdown of the other candidates’ numbers and where the race stands:
Retired orchestra teacher and U.S. Army veteran Doran Azari zooms to second in fundraising with $5,885 raised. Azari, who spent most of his 25-year teaching career at Greeley Central, was seventh in fundraising in early June. He’s spent $605.49 to come in at third in spending, and he has $5,279.51 cash on hand, the second-most of the eight candidates. His campaign kickoff is set for Aug. 10.
Incumbent Natalie Mash, a neonatal and post-partum nurse with UCHealth, jumps to third in fundraising with $4,380.85 raised. Mash, who was appointed to her seat in 2018 and was then elected in 2019, was sixth in fundraising in early June. She hasn’t yet spent money on the race, although her campaign launch party was June 5.
Stacey Casteel, a controversial figure who frequently berates the current school board at its meetings and advocates for books to be banned in school libraries, drops to fourth in fundraising after initially leading the field when numbers were first reported in early May and falling to third in early June. Casteel has raised $2,099.74 so far; she raised $420 in June after bringing in a tepid $45 in May. She has spent the second-most of the candidates ($1,032.37) and has the fifth-most cash on hand ($1,067.37).
Elda “Ibet” Palacios falls to fifth in fundraising after a solid early showing. She has raised $1,816, having pulled in just $50 in June. Palacios, who was second in fundraising for two months, has spent just $37.59 on her campaign, leaving her in seventh in spending. She has the fourth-most cash on hand ($1,778.41).
Note: There is little information available about Palacios other than that her registered agent is Amber Cecil, treasurer for Greeley Republican Women and the agent for book-ban advocates Casteel and Ashlee Tilley. Casteel, Tilley and Palacios appear to be quietly attempting to run together as a conservative bloc.
Tilley, a Greeley CNA whose website and social media posts largely copy Casteel’s, drops to sixth in fundraising after good early numbers. She has raised $894 so far, having brought in just $400 in June. She has spent the fifth-most of the eight candidates ($330.77), and she has the sixth-most cash on hand ($563.23).
Scott Rankin, a far-right extremist who was elected to serve two years on the school board in 2011-13 after a board member resigned, begins the regular fundraising reporting cycle in seventh with $550 of his own funds. The owner of a health insurance brokerage firm filed paperwork to run for school board June 6. He reported receiving no campaign contributions in June, although he has already spent $500 on the race. He has just $50 cash on hand.
The next round of fundraising figures are due to the Secretary of State’s office on Aug. 1. The Gadfly will keep a lookout for those numbers.
Endorsements Roundup
The Greeley-Evans school board elections are officially nonpartisan, but there are some key endorsements in the race already. Here are the ones the Gadfly has spotted:
Dr. Brenda Campos-Spitze has been endorsed by:
State Rep. Mary Young, D-Greeley
State Board of Education member Rhonda Solis, D-CD8
Michael Matthews, current president of the D6 school board
Terri Pappas, current vice president of the D6 school board
Pres Montoya, former member of the D6 school board
Dr. Madeline Milian, professor of teacher education at the University of Northern Colorado
Greeley City Councilman Tommy Butler, Ward I
Natalie Mash has been endorsed by:
State Board of Education member Rhonda Solis, D-CD8
Michael Matthews, current president of the D6 school board
Terri Pappas, current vice president of the D6 school board
Pres Montoya, former member of the D6 school board
Dr. Madeline Milian, professor of teacher education at the University of Northern Colorado
Greeley City Councilman Tommy Butler, Ward I
Doran Azari has been endorsed by:
State Board of Education member Rhonda Solis, D-CD8
Pres Montoya, former member of the D6 school board
Dr. Madeline Milian, professor of teacher education at the University of Northern Colorado
Greeley City Councilman Tommy Butler, Ward I
Stacey Casteel has been endorsed by:
Weld County Commissioner Scott James, District 2
Ashley Tilley has been endorsed by:
Weld County Commissioner Scott James, District 2
There are surely other endorsements the Gadfly hasn’t spotted, and he will keep this list updated as he comes across more.
