To the editor:

I have heard the adage “Follow the money” for a long time.

The source of campaign money — donations — is supposed to tell us something about the candidates. I thought I would just follow the money a bit and see what it would reveal. The Douglas County clerk manages the Lawrence City Commission elections and has posted online the reports of receipts and expenditures as of Feb. 26.

I eliminated donations from elsewhere that obviously were from family members, but it is quite possible that some other donations were from relatives. There was a striking difference in the source of the candidate contributions. Here is what was reported:

l Stan Rasmussen — $19,790 in total receipts, $7,990 (40 percent) from outside Lawrence

l Leslie Soden — $4,794 total, none from outside Lawrence.

l Bob Schumm — $14,155 total, $100 (1 percent) from outside Lawrence

l Stuart Boley — $6,060 total, $300 (5 percent) from outside Lawrence

l Matthew Herbert — $6,825 total, $515 (8 percent) from outside Lawrence

l Terry Riordan — $8,665 total, $300 (3 percent) from outside Lawrence

So, we have followed the money and found something of interest, but what does it mean? Should we be concerned that parties outside Lawrence are so interested in one of our candidates? Is this a scheme by outside forces to gain control of our fair city? Does the candidate have qualities such that people from all over are supportive? I don’t know. Perhaps some more astute readers can enlighten me.