Money race heats up in key Assembly campaigns

Vulnerable Assembly Democrats are locked in tight fundraising races with their GOP challengers, according to campaign finance reports filed Monday.

Assemblyman Steve Fox, a Democrat from Palmdale, raised nearly $540,000 from July 1 to Sept. 30, and spent just under $530,000. Fox, a freshman legislator who won his 2012 race by just 145 votes, had nearly $160,000 at the end of the reporting period.

Republican challenger Tom Lackey, a Palmdale city councilmember, brought in almost $660,000 in that time. He spent $737,000 and had just under $170,000 cash on hand on Sept. 30.

In a contested Orange County race, incumbent Democrat Sharon Quirk-Silva of Fullerton spent heavily in the last quarter, more than $950,000. She raised more than $560,000 in the same time period and entered the final campaign stretch with just under $130,000 in the bank.

Her opponent, Young Kim, a former aide to Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), brought in around $460,000. She spent $470,000 and had $545,000 on hand at the end of September.

Republicans are also aiming to unseat Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance). The freshman Democrat raised almost $440,000 last quarter and spent more than $700,000. He had more than $510,000 in his coffers as of Sept. 30.

David Hadley. a Manhattan Beach businessman, is the GOP contender. He brought in just over $300,000 and spent around $200,000. He ended the reporting period with more than $470,000 cash on hand.

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