Reed’s war chest reflects friends in and beyond Atlanta | www.myajc.com

In a race that’s shaping up to be more of a coronation than re-election, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has shown no sign that he views his second term as a done deal.

Recent financial disclosures reveal the mayor’s fundraising abilities have far outpaced those of competitors and fellow politicians alike. Reed is heading into his fall nonpartisan election with $1.6 million cash-in-hand, about the same as Gov. Nathan Deal and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle combined.

Deal maintains $1.1 million in cash for his 2014 race against a fellow Republican, Dalton Mayor David Pennington. (A Democratic opponent has yet to emerge.) Cagle has about half of that.

While working for Atlanta’s votes, the mayor has picked up fans from across the country. About a quarter of funds raised for the 2013 race are from out-of-state donors, another sign that Reed has risen to become a player on the national stage. Reed was a prominent fundraiser for President Barack Obama’s second presidential campaign and maintains close ties with the White House.

With beaucoup bucks on hand and no real opponents on the horizon, Reed is positioned to play kingmaker with Democratic politics. He can direct dollars to supporters and allies with campaign contributions and give unlimited amounts to third-party groups, like a favored charity or the financially stumbling Democratic Party of Georgia.

But Reed spokeswoman Sonji Jacobs says the mayor is above all focused on his re-election campaign, a bid he’s approaching with the same gusto as he did in 2009. Then, he raised around $3 million to eke out a win against Mary Norwood by 700 votes.

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