Maui County mayoral candidate Richard Bissen Jr. continued to fetch an abundance of campaign contributions, with nearly $100,000 raised during the latest reporting period leading up to Tuesday’s general election.

From Sept. 27 to Oct. 24, Bissen received a total of $98,663.35, while incumbent Mayor Michael Victorino received $29,600, according to the latest spending reports that were due Monday.

During the period, Victorino spent $33,996.79 and Bissen spent $119,741.35. 

The former 2nd Circuit Court chief judge has beaten out Victorino in fundraising during the total election period so far with $678,601.22 raised as of Oct. 24, although Victorino showed some surges in contributions as during an election period in which he pulled in $553,663.26.

The two candidates have been in a fundraising battle all election cycle. 

From April 26 to June 30, Bissen brought in $252,088, four times as much as Victorino, who brought in $62,153.12 for the same period. 

From July 1-29, Bissen brought in $30,798, his lowest total in a single reporting period. During that same time Victorino brought in $85,57.47.

Then, from Aug. 14 to Sept. 26, Bissen brought in $91,512.50, but Victorino edged him out by garnering $102,033.09, his highest total in a single reporting period this year.

With the election days away, Bissen had $55,410.15 in his campaign war chest, while Victorino had $91,273.92 left. Bissen’s larger donations in the latest reporting period include $4,000 from Yeshua D. Goodman, CEO of Kiawe Outdoor; $4,000 from Michael Baskin, designer/owner of Paia Inn; $4,000 from Sarah Sparks Baskin, designer/owner at Paia Inn; $4,000 from Paula Smith of Wailuku; $3,000 from Greg Hiyakumoto, manager of RM Towill Corp. on Oahu; $2,500 from Brian Panish of California, an attorney with Panish, Shea, Boyle Ravipudi LLP.; $2,500 from Jay Kerner of Calif. who is president and CEO of U.S. Realty Partners; $2,500 from Joseph I. Arias, an engineer/director; and $2,500 from Sandra Duvauchelle, a self-employed contractor. 

Campaign reports also show that Alex Fielding of Kula, CEO of Privateer Space, donated a total of $12,000, which is $8,000 over the limit. 

Officials with the Campaign Spending Commission said Tuesday afternoon that Bissen’s campaign did return the excess funds within 30 days so there were no penalties. 

Some of the larger donations to Victorino include $4,000 from Hawaii Realtors PAC; $4,000 from MTP Operating Co.; $2,000 from the Hawaii Operating Engineers Industry Stabilization Fund; $1,000 from the General Contractors Association of Hawaii Political Action Committee; $1,000 from the Local Union 1186 IBEW PAC Fund; $1,000 from Friends of Mike White; $1,000 from Hawaii CU League; $1,000 from Mark Redeker, owner of Mid Pacific Pest Control; $1,000 from Expedia; $1,000 from Dexter Kubota, vice president of Bowers & Kubota Consulting; $1,000 from Brian Bowers, president of Bowers & Kubota Management and $1,000 from HSTA PAC. 

In Maui County Council races, Tom Cook, who is running for the South Maui Council residency seat, received the most funds in the Sept. 27 to Oct. 24 reporting period with $37,830. He spent $38,115.16 and was left with $24,948.95. 

His competitor, Robin Knox, brought in $9,482.23, spent $11,842.33 and was left with a deficit of $2,815.39. 

In the race for the Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat, candidate Nohe U’u-Hodgins received $32,655 – the second most among council candidates during the period – spent $33,734.34 and was left with $29,045.46. 

Challenger Nara Boone received $3,719.98, spent $3,829.45 and was left with $4,990.39. 

In the race for the Kahului council residency seat, incumbent Council Member Tasha Kama received $10,100, spent $17,079.56 and was left with $17,426.61. 

Challenger Buddy Nobriga received $15,900, spent $21,779.48 and was left with $21,503.87. 

For the Lanai residency seat race, former Council Member Riki Hokama received $13,850, spent $35,398.10 and was left with $35,501.19. 

Incumbent Council Member Gabe Johnson received $2,990.69, spent $6,997.78 and had $3,280.43 left. 

Incumbent Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura, who holds the Upcountry residency seat, received $17,295. She spent $3,879.80 and had $78,016.39 left. 

Challenger Jordan Hocker brought in $2,358.73, spent $3,367.21 and had $2,622.43 left. 

In the race for the East Maui residency seat, incumbent Council Member Shane Sinenci collected $3,513.81, spent $7,110.93 and was left with $2,675.30. 

Challenger Claire Carroll pulled in $1,000, spent $8,089.43 and was left with $1,313.40. 

For the Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu residency race, Council Chairwoman Alice Lee received $3,300, spent $5,353.47 and was left with $39,875.23. 

Challenger Noelani Ahia brought in $3,084.73, spent $1,341.20 and had $2,133.91 left. 

In the Molokai residency seat race, challenger John Pele brought in $30,940, spent $42,702.83 and was left with $18,689.72. 

The incumbent, Council Vice Chairwoman Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, filed her reports a day after the deadline Tuesday, according to the Campaign Spending Commission website. 

During the latest reporting period, Rawlins-Fernandez brought in $14,113.78, spent $12,767.58 and was left with $16,392.61. 

Incumbent Council Member Tamara Paltin, who holds the West Maui residency seat, received $4,890.77, spent $2,736.97 and had $28,590.09 left. 

Her challenger Justin Herrmann was not required to file this period as he indicated he did not intend to receive contributions and make expenditures that aggregate more than $1,000 in the 2022 election period, according to the state Campaign Spending Commission website.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.