Candidates File Finance Reports as Primary Nears

With the primary election a little more than a week away, Marshal Mike Carona has amassed nearly $170,000 more in campaign contributions than his opponent, Santa Ana Police Chief Paul M. Walters, in the race to succeed retiring Sheriff Brad Gates.

On Friday--the day of the latest campaign filing deadline--Corona reported contributions worth $209,250 for the two-month period ending May 16. Overall, he has collected $284,640. He has received several $1,000 contributions from truck sales companies and manufacturing firms, but the majority of contributions are less than $250.

Walters, on the other hand, raised $90,151 this reporting period for a total of $116,586, including $1,000 contributions from the Garden Grove Police Assn. and the Long Beach Police Officers PAC.

The Santa Ana chief is expected to be aided as well by a substantial fund-raising effort--reportedly worth more than $100,000--by the Assn. of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, a political action committee that is running an independent expenditure effort on his behalf.

In the district attorney’s race, Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Rackauckas Jr. edged ahead of Assistant Dist. Atty. Wallace J. Wade with more than $79,000 in contributions this period and a total of $136,752 to date. Among Rackauckas’ $1,000 contributors are the Los Alamitos Race Course and the Lincoln Club, a conservative political action committee.

Wade amassed $67,813 this period--including a $50,000 loan--for a total of nearly $103,000 to date. Dist. Atty. Mike Capizzi is running for state attorney general.

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County supervisorial candidate Cynthia Coad surged ahead of her 4th District opponents with a $250,000 loan to herself. Coad, a North Orange County Community College District board member, has raised $6,275 in campaign contributions, but with her six-figure loan, she comes out ahead of all the candidates, with only a few $1,000 contributions, including one from the Irvine Co.

Coad is vying for the seat held by outgoing Supervisor William G. Steiner. She is competing with Lou Lopez, an Anaheim councilman and police officer, Paul Walker, a La Palma councilman and firefighter, Anaheim Realtor Steve White and accountant Eric Woolery.

Lopez, who did not turn in his statements by the 5 p.m. deadline, said he raised $49,816 this year--all of it during the current reporting period.

Woolery, who also is vying for Steiner’s seat, raised $32,604 this reporting period for a total of $40,953. Woolery’s largest contributor was South County businessman and staunch airport opponent Ronald Cedillos, who gave $1,000.

Walker received a little more than $7,000 in contributions this period for a total of $11,262 this year.

White did not turn in his statements by Friday’s deadline and could not be reached for comment.

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In the 2nd District race, incumbent Supervisor Jim Silva is facing land planner and former Costa Mesa Mayor Sandy Genis, Huntington Beach Councilman Dave Sullivan and retired criminal investigator Ralph Silva.

Jim Silva has raised the most: $57,533 this reporting period for a total of $111,379. Silva received several $1,000 contributions from supporters including Koll Development Vice President Greg Motschenbacher, the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce PAC and Rockwell International Corp.

Sullivan received more than $17,000 in contributions, making his total for the year $21,253. He received two $1,000 contributions, one from the Golden State Mobil Homeowners in Garden Grove and one from the Institute for Medical Studies in Laguna Niguel.

Genis did not file her reports by Friday but estimated she had raised a total of $12,000. Ralph Silva has raised $150 for a total of $400 for this year.

In the 5th District race, incumbent Supervisor Tom Wilson is facing Newport Beach Councilman John W. Hedges. Wilson received $62,742 this reporting period, making his total for the year a little more than $122,000.

Hedges did not turn in reports by Friday and could not be reached for comment.

In the high-profile 46th Congressional District race, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) reported raising slightly more than $2 million in the 18 months since the last election. Sanchez raised $1.1 million so far this year, $345,000 in the last six weeks. She had nearly $1.1 million in cash in the bank on May 13, the end of the recent federal reporting period.

Former Rep. Robert K. Dornan reported about $1.9 million since the 1996 election. Dornan raised $347,000 this year, $90,170 of that in the six weeks since the last reporting period. He had about $80,000 on hand.

Orange County Superior Court Judge James P. Gray reported total contributions of $219,000-- $155,000 alone this year--including $46,100 since April 1. He had $24,000 on hand.

Family law attorney Lisa Hughes reported raising about $154,000, including $50,000 this year and nearly $20,000 since April 1.

She had loaned her campaign $350,000 and reported $71,000 in cash.

Former Cypress City Councilman Cornelius “Chuck” Coronado said he had raised less than $20,000. His report was not available.

In the 45th Congressional District race, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) reported raising about $96,000 this year. He had a cash balance of $109,219 as of May 13, the end of the filing period.

Among his GOP opponents, former Westminster City Councilwoman Charmayne Bohman reported raising $16,026 this year and had a cash balance of $10,956. Engineer Long K. Pham raised about $6,130 this year and had a cash balance of $646.

Among Democrats, Realtor Patricia W. Neal had raised nearly $40,000 this year but still had $50,000 in cash. Lud Gerber reported raising $15,000 and had about $4,900 in cash on hand, according to a spokesman.

In the 67th Assembly District race, Assemblyman Scott Baugh (R-Huntington Beach) had raised $276,000 this year through his three campaign committees and had nearly $33,000 in cash on May 16, the end of the recent state reporting period.

Fountain Valley Councilman Chuck Conlosh reported raising nearly $21,000 and had $52 in the bank on May 16.

Information was not available on the reports of Baugh’s GOP opponents: former Assemblywoman Doris Allen, Huntington Beach Planning Commissioner Haydee Tillotson, Board of Education Trustee Feliz Rocha Jr. and Seal Beach Mayor Marilyn Bruce Hastings.

Democrat Rima Nashashibi reported raising $36,350 and having about $17,000 in cash.

In the 68th Assembly District race to replace Assemblyman Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove), the top fund-raiser so far is lawyer John Kellogg. He has raised $79,286 this year and has a cash balance of $1,800.

Among the other Republicans, Garden Grove Councilman Ho Chung has raised $64,840, and has $47,000 in cash. Westminster Councilwoman Joy L. Neugebauer had raised $12,300 and had $644 in cash on hand. Information was not available for Garden Grove Councilman Ken Maddox.

Junior high school teacher Mike Matsuda, a Democrat, had raised $31,625 and had $13,000 in cash.

In the 73rd Assembly District race for the seat held by outgoing Oceanside Republican Bill Morrow, Laguna Niguel Councilwoman Patricia C. Bates, a Republican, had raised the most--$182,000--and still had $6,716 in cash.

Among other Republicans, San Clemente Councilman Steve Apodaca had raised $15,069 and had $6,000 in cash on hand. Information was not available for the other GOP candidate, lawyer Jim Lacy, or for Democrat Robert D. Wilberg, a county parks department technician.

State reports were due in the registrar’s office in Santa Ana at 5 p.m. Thursday or could be sent guaranteed overnight delivery for arrival Friday.