GOP Tops Democrats in Fund-Raising

To go along with their earlier takeover at the polls, Assembly Republicans outdid their Democratic rivals in collecting campaign contributions by almost $4 million last year, an official report said Thursday.

Even in the state Senate, where Democrats hold a majority, Republicans took to the bank nearly twice as much as Democrats--$5 million to $2.8 million, according to Secretary of State Bill Jones.

In all, Assembly Republicans finished the year with more cash on hand--$5 million--versus $3 million for Assembly Democrats, and $2.4 million by Senate Republicans compared with $1.4 million for Senate Democrats.

The money raised by the GOP is crucial as it prepares this election year to defend its gains in the Assembly, which Republicans now control, and mount a serious challenge in the Senate. In years past, it was the Democrats who used their majority to command the biggest bankroll.

Also symbolic of a new day for the GOP in Sacramento, Willie Brown, who reigned as Democratic speaker for 14 1/2 years and is now mayor of San Francisco, was replaced as the top individual fund-raiser in the Legislature.

That honor went to Assemblyman Mike Machado (D-Linden), who fought a bruising battle to save his seat in a recall election. He won by an almost 2-1 margin, but only after raising and spending more than $1.2 million.

The top fund-raiser among Republicans was Assemblyman Jim Brulte (R-Rancho Cucamonga), who took in more than $1 million. Brulte said most of that money is being used to pay off debts for Assembly campaigns of others that he funded while he was Assembly GOP leader through most of 1995.

Among Democrats the No. 2 fund-raiser was Assemblyman John Burton (D-San Francisco), who raised $605,000 and spent about $100,000 as he runs for election this year in the state Senate.

A recurring feature throughout the report was the clout demonstrated by candidates holding office compared with political newcomers.

Most incumbents or Assembly members leaving to run for the Senate collected amounts in the hundreds of thousands. New names on the candidate lists showed amounts ranging from nothing to several thousand dollars.

Overall during 1995, legislative candidates raised $27.3 million, including $20 million by candidates for the 80-member Assembly and the remainder for candidates in the 40-member Senate.

The 340 legislative candidates spent $18 million last year, the secretary of state report said.

Cash on hand as the year ended, for all candidates, totaled $11.8 million.