Democrats Get Jump on GOP in Election Fund Raising

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) has collected $1.36 million in campaign contributions to help protect and expand his Democratic majority in the 1986 elections, state records showed Tuesday.

In the Senate, President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) has pulled in $1.15 million to try to accomplish the same goal in the upper house.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the Legislature, who hope to pick up some ground on the Democrats at the polls, lag far behind in the money-raising race. Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan of Glendale and Senate Minority Leader James W. Nielsen of Woodland reported contributions of only $450,457 and $335,746, respectively.

The campaign contribution records filed with the secretary of state covered the last six months of 1985.

Democrats Hold Edge

The Democrats currently control the Assembly by a 46-33 vote margin. There is one vacancy. Democrats hold a 26-14 bulge over the GOP in the Senate.

All 80 Assembly seats are at stake in this year’s elections, plus 20 of the 40 Senate seats (even numbered districts), including 16 now held by Democrats.

As leaders of the majority party in the Legislature, Brown and Roberti dole out the campaign contributions they collect to Democratic colleagues who face tough races or to Democratic hopefuls who appear to have a chance of being elected.

Brown collected $1.36 million, spent $984,000, and had a Dec. 31 cash balance of $745,000.

Lawyers Lead Donors

Major donors included the California Trial Lawyers Political Action Committee, $22,202; Beer Wholesalers Community Affairs Fund, $16,000; California Chiropractic Political Action Committee, $16,000; California Restaurant Assn., $16,000; the Irvine Co., $15,000, and Scientific Games Inc., a lottery equipment supplier, $13,000.

An unusual expenditure by Brown was a $20,000 contribution to Friends of Mario Cuomo to aid the New York Democrat, often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 1988, in his bid for reelection as governor.

In addition to the $1.36 million, Brown also collected money from the campaign treasuries of more than a dozen Assembly Democratic incumbents who do not have serious reelection problems, for another $312,000. This money is being used for Democratic voter registration drives in key areas throughout the state.

Roberti reaped $1.15 million, spent $375,000, and reported a cash balance of $500,000.

Roberti’s Donors

Major donors included the California trial lawyers committee, $17,500; Correctional Peace Officers Assn., $11,500; Insurers Political Action Committee, $9,000; California Optometric Political Action Committee, $6,750; Philip Morris Inc., $6,000; California Labor Federation, $5,500, and Municipal Elections Committee of Los Angeles, $5,000.

Nolan collected $450,457, spent $203,015, and had a $234,033 surplus.