Challenger Loans His Campaign $81,000

Republican Assembly candidate Matt Noah on Wednesday announced that he has loaned his campaign $81,000 to challenge Assemblyman Nao Takasugi (R-Oxnard) in the March 26 GOP primary.

Noah, a 38-year-old electrical engineer, said he put up the money to show that he is a serious contender.

“I see a real opportunity in unseating Nao Takasugi,” Noah said. “Some people don’t look at you that seriously until you show the money. I figured I’d show the money and see what happens.”

Takasugi, who is seeking his third and final term in the Assembly, reported $24,000 in his campaign account as of June 30. His next financial statement is not due until March 10.

Takasugi and Noah are the only Republican candidates running in the 35th Assembly District, which stretches from Oxnard to Thousand Oaks.

Noah said he culled the money from personal savings and is in the middle of other fund-raising efforts, including landing a large contribution from an individual he declined to name.

He said he has not decided what he will do with the money now sitting in his campaign account.

“I haven’t decided how I’m going to spend it, or if I’m going to spend it,” Noah said. “If it was definitely going to be spent, it would be a contribution. As a loan, it could go either way.”