Ward 7 Cleveland City Council candidate Mohammad Faraj is second only to Council President Blaine Griffin in campaign fundraising this year.
Faraj brought in nearly $72,000 in the first six months of the year, unaudited campaign filings show. Griffin raised $78,000. After passing on a run for mayor, he’s unopposed in Ward 6 on the East Side.
Ward 7 covers Tremont, Ohio City and parts of Detroit-Shoreway and downtown. The seat is up for grabs with no incumbent in the mix.
Faraj tapped many donors in Cleveland’s western suburbs, where he grew up. He also raised money from the city proper and other states. He has spent about half of his haul, reporting $35,400 on hand as of June 30.
Austin Davis, another Ward 7 hopeful, was the third-highest fundraiser among council candidates citywide who filed disclosures. He raised almost $43,000 and had just less than $30,300 on hand. Davis’ donors were based in Cleveland, the suburbs and other cities around the country.
Together, the two candidates raised almost $115,000. That makes Ward 7 the highest-dollar council race in the city so far — at least measured by 2025 fundraising.
In an era of multibillion-dollar presidential brawls, a local race in the low six figures may as well be funded with couch cushion money. But shirts, yard signs and mailers don’t pay for themselves.
The third candidate in the race, Mike Rogalski, did not file a semiannual report. Local candidates don’t have to file semiannuals if they raise less than $10,000.
The filings capture raising and spending only through June 30. Candidates have been holding fundraisers and spending money since then. The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections hasn’t audited these reports for math errors or other discrepancies.
Here are the top 10 fundraisers among Cleveland City Council candidates in the first half of 2025:
- $78,605 — Blaine Griffin, Ward 6
- $71,993 — Mohammad Faraj, Ward 7
- $42,658 — Austin Davis, Ward 7
- $39,230 — Danny Kelly, Ward 12
- $35,175 — Anthony Hairston, Ward 10
- $27,356 — Richard Starr, Ward 5
- $24,771 — Jasmin Santana, Ward 14
- $24,287 — Stephanie Howse-Jones, Ward 8
- $22,009 — Rebecca Maurer, Ward 5
- $19,759 — Tanmay Shah, Ward 12
We’ll get our next look at candidates’ pocketbooks Aug. 28, the last filing deadline before the Sept. 9 primary.
