Incumbent Santa Fe mayoral candidate David Coss is reporting more than twice the amount of campaign cash as challenger Asenath Kepler and more than seven times as much as challenger Miguel Chavez.

Coss' total of $84,287 contributions as of the first reporting deadline for the March 2 election compares to $38,589 for Kepler and $11,055 for Chavez.

Gov. Bill Richardson's $3,000 to Coss is the single largest individual contribution in the nonpartisan municipal campaign so far.

But Coss, who was an officer and organizer for public-employee unions when he worked for state government, also took in more than $7,500 from various labor organizations.

Coss' other major individual contributions included $2,500 from Garrett Thornburg and $2,000 from William and Nancy Zeckendorf.

Asenath Kepler's largest contribution so far is $2,300 from James and Sheryl Bohlander. James Bohlander chairs the Santa Fe Republican Party. Sheryl Bohlander has participated in last year's Santa Fe T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) Party.

Lawyer and former city manager Kepler, a Republican, also racked up other contributions from county Republicans, plus $1,000 each from the Republican Party of Santa Fe County and the Santa Fe Federated Republican Women.

Her second largest contribution, after the Bohlanders, was $1,500 from Janice Schaefer, who described herself as an office manager.

Miguel Chavez has brought in the smallest amount of contributions so far.

His largest contribution was $1,250 from Realtor Paul Gonzales. Chavez, who had pledged to limit individual contributions to no more than $1,000, was not available for comment late Thursday.

Chavez also took in $1,000 from William Herrera, a retired dentist whose land on the southwestern end of town is being developed as a new commercial complex with a new WalmartSuperCenter.

Contact Tom Sharpe at 986-3080 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican.com.