LEXINGTON, Ky. — In the nascent stages of the 2026 mayoral race in Kentucky’s second-largest city, a first-time candidate has surged ahead in fundraising, amassing over $100,000 while the incumbent mayor signals a deliberate pace ahead of her formal campaign launch. Raquel Carter, a prominent real estate broker, reported $104,508 in contributions as of Dec. 1, dwarfing other Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government candidates and highlighting early divides over issues like housing and urban development.
The figures, drawn from public filings with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance and aggregated by The Lexington Times’ online dashboard, underscore Carter’s aggressive start since announcing her bid in April. As of mid-December, no other declared mayoral challengers have reported significant funds, and incumbent Linda Gorton, who is seeking a historic third term, has yet to file any contributions for the cycle. The nonpartisan primary is set for May 19, 2026, with the general election on Nov. 3, according to state election officials.
Carter, 51, owner of Guide Realty and a vocal advocate for expanding Lexington’s urban service boundary, filed her statement of spending intent on April 18, committing to raise and spend more than $5,000 without exemptions. Her campaign, “Raquel for Lexington Mayor,” has since collected 321 individual contributions from 311 unique donors, averaging about $325 each. The total, net of any refunds or credits, positions her as the top fundraiser among all 10 LFUCG candidates tracked in the dashboard, which focuses on the 2026 primary…