Lopez Top Challenger in Race for Donations

Oxnard Mayor Manuel Lopez made up for a late entry into Ventura County’s 5th Supervisorial District race by raising more money than any of the candidates seeking to unseat longtime incumbent John Flynn, finance reports released Monday show.

As of Dec. 31, Lopez had raised a total of $59,785 in his bid to replace Flynn. Of that, he raised $40,942 during the Oct. 1-Dec. 31 reporting period, nearly two-thirds of it in loans to himself, records show.

That is less than the $70,618 raised by Flynn, who has held the Oxnard-based seat for 28 years. But Lopez’s apparent willingness to spend his own money, combined with the name recognition that comes from 25 years on the City Council, indicates he will be a formidable challenger to Flynn in the March 2 primary election, said Jack Miller, a political science professor at Moorpark College.

“Supervisor Flynn has shown that regardless of race or ethnicity, an elected official can serve the public well. He’s not an easy incumbent to defeat,” Miller said. “But I do think Lopez is a strong candidate.”

A third competitor in the four-way race, Oxnard Councilman John Zaragoza, raised close to $12,000 during the most recent reporting period, bringing his fundraising total to $52,824.

The fourth candidate, Port Hueneme business executive Arlene Fraser, filed papers indicating she would raise less than $1,000 during her campaign.

If no one wins at least 51% of the March vote, Flynn and his top challenger would advance to a runoff vote in November. Lopez has said that the higher turnout of a presidential election could help a challenger beat the popular incumbent.

Flynn, meanwhile, said he is sticking by his strategy of meeting with constituents at debates and forums, and knocking on doors every free minute he has. Flynn, 70, said his vast experience as a supervisor makes him best qualified for the job.

“I’m not worried about it,” Flynn said of Lopez’s fundraising. “If I wanted, I could loan myself a bunch of money, too. But I have a sufficient amount. I’m not going around hitting people over the head for it.”

A campaign finance law approved by supervisors last year limits individual donations to $600 per candidate per election. The change has meant that candidates have to tap more contributors or else lend themselves money.

“It’s a lot easier to give oneself a loan than to fundraise,” Miller said. “And if you are using your own money that takes away a perception that you are beholden to special interests.”

In the 3rd Supervisorial District race, incumbent Kathy Long, who faces Camarillo City Councilman Mike Morgan, said she has had to work harder to raise money. So far she has accumulated $77,101, more than $16,000 of that in the last quarter of 2003.

After a pause for the holiday season, her campaign is back in full swing, Long said. She has two fundraising events and several house parties planned within her wide-ranging district, the supervisor said.

“There are new neighborhoods in Camarillo and Port Hueneme that have come up in the past few years,” said Long, whose sprawling district also includes the Santa Clara Valley. “So I will go out to meet them. And I am proud to say that I got the endorsement of the firefighters last week.”

Morgan has the backing of the deputy sheriffs union and other law enforcement groups. He entered the race in early December and raised about $10,000 in the weeks following, reports show.

Morgan said he is stepping up the pace of his campaign to make up for lost time.

“We’re going from Piru to Port Hueneme to meet people,” he said. “It’s five communities and it takes an effort.”

Incumbent Steve Bennett has raised far more cash than any other candidate for the Board of Supervisors -- even though he has only token opposition. Bennett reported a total of $130,651, with $16,622 coming in the latest filing period.

His sole opponent, teacher Jeffrey Ketelsen, filed paperwork indicating he would raise less than $1,000. Ketelsen, who is making his first bid for county office, could not be reached for comment.

Bennett still had $100,000 on hand in late December. The first-term supervisor said he will run a full campaign, including mailing brochures to voters in his Ventura-based 1st District.

“I asked my supporters to help early to demonstrate we are really serious about this campaign,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the race to succeed state Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Moorpark), Republican candidates Mike Robinson and Audra Strickland each started the new year with substantial campaign war chests. The race to represent the 37th District -- which includes Camarillo, Moorpark, Ojai and Santa Paula -- is the only legislative contest in the county.

Robinson, 28, an investor and former district representative for state Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), had $289,000 in his campaign kitty at the end of last year after amassing nearly $532,000 in contributions. Robinson lent or gave most of the money to his campaign.

Audra Strickland, 29, a private school teacher vying to replace her husband as he steps down due to term limits, had about $305,000 on hand after raising nearly $316,000 last year. Records show she pulled down contributions from a wide variety of interests, including three Indian tribes that run casinos, a group representing Los Angeles County deputy sheriffs, the pharmaceutical firm Baxter Healthcare Corp. and Anheuser-Busch Co.

Candidate Jeff Gorell, 33, a county prosecutor, trailed Robinson and Strickland in fundraising. He raised nearly $94,000, mostly in small donations from attorneys, ranchers and police officers groups, in the first 10 months of last year. More recent finance statements were not available.

Robinson, Strickland, Gorell and attorney Eric McClendon, all Republicans, are competing for a spot on the fall ballot. The top vote-getter will likely face a write-in Democrat in November.