State Legislators Raise $33.4 Million in ’93
State legislators collected a record $33.4 million in campaign contributions for a non-election year in 1993, with freshman Assembly members collecting just as much as their veteran colleagues.
“The 1993 campaign contribution harvest was indeed a bountiful one for state legislators,” said Ruth Holton, executive director of Common Cause, the grass-roots political group that on Wednesday issued a report on last year’s campaign donations.
For the record:
12:00 a.m. April 30, 1994 For the Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday April 30, 1994 Home Edition Part A Page 4 Column 3 National Desk 2 inches; 54 words Type of Material: Correction
Campaign funds--An addition error by the office of Assemblywoman Diane Martinez (D-Rosemead) caused Common Cause to rank Martinez as the top 1993 campaign fund raiser among Assembly freshmen, as reported in The Times. She actually raised $41,784 instead of $262,252. Martinez’s office said it over-reported what she raised in 1993 by adding funds that were received in previous years.
The $33.4 million raised in 1993 was almost double the $19.5 million raised by state legislators in 1991. The previous record of $27.4 million for a non-election year was set in 1987.
Holton said lawmakers who were not involved in special elections collected $26.7 million and those involved in special elections raised $6.7 million.
Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) was the top individual fund-raiser with $2.2 million, according to the report. Assemblyman Rusty Areias (D-San Jose), who is seeking the Democratic nomination for state controller, was second with $831,186. Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward) was third with $731,649.
The top 10 Assembly freshmen and their respective campaign contribution amounts were Diane Martinez (D-Rosemead), $262,252; Bill Hoge (R-Pasadena), $262,128; Bernie Richter (R-Chico), $185,019; Ray Haynes (R-Murrieta), $160,965; Fred Aguiar (R-Chino), $155,163; Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard), $140,324; Juanita M. McDonald (D-Carson), $135,744; Ted Weggeland (R-Riverside), $134,074; Larry Bowler (R-Elk Grove), $133,428, and Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside), $131,859.
After they were the first group to be elected under term limits in 1992, members of the Assembly freshman class vowed to be more independent than their peers and rely less on campaign contributions.
But the Common Cause report showed that the median amount raised by Assembly newcomers last year was $100,783, nearly identical to the median amount raised by veteran Assembly Democrats. They were behind only the median for Assembly Republicans, which was $134,074.
Said Holton, “The freshmen are just like the veterans in terms of their fund-raising activities.”
Some freshman said that, although they have accomplished much of what they set out to do, they still must contend with getting reelected and that takes lots of money.
“I think the Assembly freshman class has done things differently in Sacramento,” Aguiar said. “That is obvious in how we played a major role in accomplishing workers’ compensation reform.”
“I am running my 1994 campaign to win reelection. One of the unfortunate things about running for office is it takes money to run a campaign.”
Takasugi said he still has a $50,000 debt from his 1992 election, which consists of a personal loan to himself. He has no June primary opposition, but said he needs about $150,000 to $200,000 “to run a decent campaign” against his Democratic opponent in the fall.
Earlier this year, the Senate passed a major campaign finance reform bill authored by Lockyer and sent it to the Assembly.
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