Hill Tops Fund Heap in Senate Race : Campaign: Candidates’ financial statements show assemblyman has raised $297,651 for election.

In the last financial disclosure statement to be filed before next month’s special state Senate election in the 31st District, Assemblyman Frank Hill on Thursday held an overwhelming fund-raising advantage compared to the other major candidates in the race.

Hill’s statement said he has raised $297,651 since the campaign started Dec. 24. Hill’s war chest is almost seven times greater than the next largest campaign fund in the race. The Whittier Republican has said he expects to spend at least $500,000 during the campaign.

One surprise revealed in the finance reports was the poor showing of candidate and Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), who has raised only $43,778.

Ferguson’s was still the second-highest fund-raising total in the race. But when he launched his effort last month, Ferguson said he expected to spend about $350,000. Earlier this week he said he still hopes to raise $200,000 before the Feb. 6 election.

Ron Isles, a Brea city councilman and another Republican candidate, has raised $14,039 during the race. But Isles, who is independently wealthy, has loaned his campaign an additional $175,000.

Ferguson also loaned his campaign an additional $17,000 for a total of $60,778.

Hill did not report any loans.

Janice Graham, the leading Democratic candidate, had a total of $4,118, which included $2,258 in loans.

The special election is to fill the seat left by the resignation last month of former state Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights). If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote--as is expected--a runoff between the top vote-getters in each party is scheduled for April 10.

The overwhelmingly Republican Senate district is split almost in half by the boundary between Los Angeles and Orange counties. It stretches from West Covina and Whittier in the north to Laguna Beach in the south.

Eight candidates have entered the race--four Republicans, three Democrats and one American Independent.

Officials in the Orange County registrar of voters office said the financial disclosure statements were required to be filed by 5 p.m. Thursday. But at the deadline, only Graham and the American Independent candidate had formally filed.

Figures for some candidates were supplied by their campaign offices.

Hill’s report also showed that he has far outspent his competition with a total of $333,831 in expenditures between Dec. 24 and Saturday. He had $83,266 in cash left over and outstanding debts of $119,446.

Ferguson has spent $47,606 in the race with $13,197 left in cash and debts of $17,000.

Isles has spent $171,438. He has $36,670 in cash and outstanding debts of $186,569.