Councilwoman Helen Collins has picked up more than $7,360 in financial contributions in her fight to keep her District 4 seat.

Among the contributors is Gordon J. Klingenschmitt, Colorado Springs’ state Representative, who gave $100 to the “Committee to Elect Helen Collins” and lists his employer as “GOD.” He is a former Navy chaplain with a doctorate in theology.

Klingenschmitt said he was having a little fun.

“Yes, I thought it was funny,” he said. “I am a chaplain and I do work for God.” He said he was giving the political contribution personally, and not in his role as a state lawmaker, in which case, he said he would have listed his employer as “the people.”

“Helen Collins has impressed me in the past couple of years, and is a true voice of the people who has bold conservative values,” he said. “She really believes in fiscal responsibility and not wasting the taxpayers’ money.”

Collins’ biggest contributor is Carol Bogosian, who put $5,000 toward the campaign to keep Collins in office. Bogosian is a regular contributor to the Republican National Committee and conservative candidates. In 2014, she gave more than $89,000 in political contributions, according to CampaignMoney.com.

Three residents in District 4, led by Deborah Hendrix, ran the recall effort against Collins and were successful in getting a recall question on the April 7 ballot. The effort was financially backed by the newly formed Colorado Springs Government Watch group, which spent about $14,000 to hire people to collect signatures for the recall petition. The group’s executive director Dede Laugesen, the wife of The Gazette’s editorial page editor Wayne Laugesen, insists that the group did not launch the recall but only financially supported it. She has said that the watch group will consider funding the campaign against Collins if needed.

There are no challengers in District. If voters recall Collins, the City Council will appoint the next District 4 City Council member for them.

 Read more about who is giving to the local campaigns at The Gazette’s Election page.

An activities bus sits in front of Atria Applewood assisted living facility, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015, in the west Denver suburb of Lakewood, Colo. An 87-year-old Alzheimer’s patient faces a homicide charge after the deadly beating on Saturday, Feb. 21 of a fellow resident, who subsequently died of injuries on Monday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

David Zalubowski