Long, Flynn and Bennett Ahead in Fund-Raising

With just five weeks to go before the March primary election, two incumbent candidates for the Board of Supervisors and the coauthor of last year’s SOAR measures are holding onto wide fund-raising leads.

Campaign finance statements filed Thursday show that 3rd District Supervisor Kathy Long of Camarillo topped candidates in all three supervisorial races by raising nearly $75,000--$4,835 of that flowing to her campaign between Jan. 1 and Jan. 22.

Fifth District Supervisor John K. Flynn of Oxnard has raised $35,636, with $9,040 coming during the most recent three-week reporting period. And former Ventura Councilman Steve Bennett, a principal sponsor of the successful SOAR farmland preservation initiatives, has generated $66,342 in his bid to fill the open 1st District seat.

Bennett, who is vying to replace retiring Supervisor Susan Lacey in a district that includes Ventura and portions of Ojai, added $4,160 during the period.

However, several challengers said their fund-raising efforts have only recently shifted into high gear, pointing to big gains posted last month.

In the District 1 contest, former Ventura Councilwoman Rosa Lee Measures reported $17,686 in cash and in-kind contributions, giving her a total of $40,406 for the campaign. Current Ventura Councilman Jim Monahan reported a $13,562 surge for a total of $38,081.

In the District 3 race, Camarillo Councilman Michael Morgan boosted his war chest to $9,627, reporting $2,075 in cash contributions last month and a $2,000 loan to his own campaign.

And in the District 5 contest, Oxnard school board trustee Francisco Dominguez generated $9,668 to raise his total to slightly more than $11,000.

Morgan and Dominguez say their fund-raising efforts got off to a slow start because they waited until the last minute to jump into their races.

But both challengers said they are emboldened by the contribution statements, which show Morgan keeping pace with Long and Dominguez and generating more money than Flynn during the most recent reporting period.

“We’ve made a decent push,” Dominguez said. “My goal was never to out-raise or outspend the incumbent. But I think the support I’ve received is a signal that I’ve got to keep plugging away.”

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In a competitive primary race for the state Legislature, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) extended his fund-raising lead over county Supervisor Judy Mikels in a contest to decide who will replace state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), who is leaving office because of term limits.

After raising $14,600 during the past three weeks, McClintock had $253,000 in available cash. Mikels raised $4,600, but repaid a $26,000-loan to the husband of her campaign treasurer and had only $30,560 in the bank. Mikels reported remaining campaign debts of $55,500, while McClintock had debts of $33.

Both prominent Republicans seek to represent the 19th Senate District, where a Republican has won for three decades. Two-thirds of district voters live in Ventura County, with one-third in western San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.

In a contested Democratic primary in the 37th Assembly District, Port Hueneme Councilman Jon Sharkey raised $5,400 and has amassed $37,600. Somis teacher Roz McGrath, a last-minute entry, had raised just $4,137.

The 37th District covers most of Ventura County--from Oxnard to Camarillo and Thousand Oaks.

Sharkey declared his candidacy months ago after health problems forced McGrath to bow out of a second run against Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks), to whom she barely lost in 1998.

Assembly Democrats convinced McGrath to run again in November, but she has yet to begin fund-raising in earnest.

McGrath said she expects to raise about $50,000 for the primary.

In the supervisors’ races, the incumbents still have the upper hand in fund-raising.

Farmers and ranchers contributed $2,250 to Long’s campaign during the most recent reporting period, more than half of the $4,835 she raised.

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Other contributions included $500 from the Gold Coast District Council of Carpenters Political Action Committee, $100 from Mike Gregory, deputy chancellor of the Ventura County Community College District, $100 from Skolfield Solar owner Allen Carrozza and $100 from Ed Lacey, attorney and husband of Long’s fellow Supervisor Susan Lacey.

Long, who is seeking her second four-year term, spent little during the three-week period, but in previous months has spent thousands from her coffers. Still, she has $41,000 left to spend to get out her message between now and the March 7 primary.

She said she is winding down her fund-raising to concentrate on the upcoming election.

“I’m concentrating on getting out to walk precincts and knock on doors and hold coffees at people’s homes, that grass-roots contact,” she said.

Morgan, a retired federal probation officer, received only a handful of contributions, including $500 from St. John’s Regional Medical Center physician Catherine Sidransky and $1,000 from Ventura resident Richard Clemence.

Morgan spent $4,495 during the past three weeks, leaving him with a cash balance of $2,809.

“We’ve really only had four weeks of good fund-raising efforts,” said Morgan, who hopes to raise $25,000 for the run. “So right now I’m feeling very good about it.”

A third candidate, Camarillo retiree Jim Shinn, reported that he received no money during the past three weeks.

In the 5th District race, pitting Flynn against two challengers, the six-term incumbent was far ahead in contributions.

His support came from longtime Oxnard-area constituents, including $400 from former Oxnard City Councilwoman Jane Tolmach, $100 from Hank Lacayo , chairman of the Ventura County Democratic Central Committee, and $250 from the county’s largest labor union, Service Employees International Union.

Flynn spent $5,797 during the reporting period, leaving him with a cash balance of $13,091.

Flynn said he is pleased with his efforts, especially since he hasn’t held any formal fund-raisers and has chosen to limit contributions to $500 per person.

“Money comes in everyday, without me having to hold fund-raisers,” he said. “It’s coming in just the way I like it.”

For his part, Dominguez said he believes he has made significant headway in the past three weeks. His cash balance--$7,310--is gaining on what Flynn has on hand to get the word out during the next few weeks.

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And his contributions--coming from the likes of fellow Oxnard school board trustee Susan Alvarez and Rio School District Superintendent Yolanda Benitez--have encouraged him to keep on campaigning.

A third candidate, Arlene Fraser, Port Hueneme Chamber of Commerce executive director, reported a $100 contribution and a $900 loan from her husband.

In the wide open District 1 race, Measures and Monahan were able to chip away at a fund-raising lead established by Bennett after he announced his candidacy last summer.

Both candidates raised more money than Bennett during the most recent filing period. And although they still lag well behind in overall fund-raising, both candidates said they are pleased with the pace at which the money is rolling in.

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do in that area, but most of these contributions were made without solicitation,” said Measures, a Ventura businesswoman. “My supporters are making an investment in their future and they are making a contribution to the kind of leadership they want to see come forward.”

Measures’ contributions included $100 from Ventura Community College professor Edith R. Conn, $200 from Ventura physician Jeffrey R. Richardson and $100 from commercial real estate broker Stephen F. Doll.

Monahan, a longtime Ventura business owner, tapped a diverse base of support during the past three weeks.

He received $100 from Ventura farmer Allan Pinkerton, $500 from Oxnard real estate investor Martin V. Smith and $1,000 from Oxnard rancher John S. Broome, who recently made history with his landmark $5-million pledge to the developing Cal State University Channel Islands campus.

Monahan spent $8,635 during the last reporting period, leaving $7,000 in his campaign coffers.

“We felt when we got to the first of the year, that was really our starting period,” he said. “Now we’ve kicked it into high gear.”

Bennett said he’s not worried that Measures and Monahan gained some fund-raising ground. Money is still steadily pouring into his campaign, he said.

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Sticking to his pledge to limit contributions to no more than $500, Bennett expanded his coffers with several $90 to $300 contributions from retirees, homemakers, engineers and small business owners in the Ojai and Ventura area.

County planner Nancy Francis gave Bennett $320 this period, boosting her total contributions to $500. Former Ventura City Councilman Gary Tuttle contributed $180. And retired Nordhoff High School Principal Ron Barney gave Bennett $100.

But Bennett said that since the start of the year he has shifted his focus from building a financial base to going out in the district and talking to voters.

“I’m not in a race where I’m saying it’s important to stay a little bit ahead,” said Bennett, an assistant principal at Nordhoff High School in Ojai. “What’s far more important is that I have enough for this election and enough to clearly communicate the message I think voters need to hear.”

Times staff writers Daryl Kelley and Margaret Talev contributed to this story.