Donations continue to pour in as election day nears

Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne had a very good Monday, to the tune of about $23,000. That’s how much the Baton Rouge Republican scooped up from donors in just one day, according to his latest campaign finance report. And as cold as cash might be, at least one donation came with value-added sentiment. It was $3,000 from the Hainkel Campaign Fund, named in honor of late Senate President John Hainkel of New Orleans. That brings the total steered by the family to Dardenne to $4,000. Not only were the two men allies in the state Senate, but Dardenne also delivered the eulogy at Hainkel’s 2006 Capitol service. From Baton Rouge, Finance America Business Group and Christine Tam gave Dardenne $5,000 each, while Vera Olds contributed $2,500. Challenger and fellow Republican Billy Nungesser last filed a campaign finance report Friday, showing another personal loan of $200,000. The Plaquemines Parish president so far has about $1.2 million of personal money invested in the race. The big money in this contest is going to purchase TV spots, for which Nungesser is outspending Dardenne. Just last week, Nungesser’s campaign plowed $500,000 into a statewide media buy. So if there are any surprises in store for these final days, they may play out in the rotation of commercials being aired by the campaigns. As for joint encounters, the two candidates will presumably get to face off at least one more time before election day Saturday. The Sales and Marketing Executives of Greater Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Lodging Association are hosting Dardenne and Nungesser at a luncheon Thursday at the Marriott Hotel. —Jeremy Alford