Top candidates for state schools chief in close money race

Reporting from Sacramento — The top contenders to be the state’s public schools chief are neck-and-neck in campaign funds leading into the June primary, according to finance reports filed Thursday.

Current state superintendent Tom Torlakson has just under $200,000 in the bank for the final stretch of the campaign. Torlakson, a Democrat who is running for his second term, raised slightly more than $300,000 between March 18 and May 17, and spent nearly $700,000 in that time.

------------

FOR THE RECORD

An earlier version of a shareline in this post said Tom Torlakson’s campaign for schools chief was boosted by labor groups and L.A. businessman Bill Bloomfield. Bloomfield is backing challenger Marshall Tuck.

------------

Torlakson is strongly backed by the state’s teachers unions, which have independently poured in nearly $2.5 million into radio ads and mailers to boost his bid.

His challenger, Marshall Tuck, reported $160,000 cash on hand. In the most recent reporting period, Tuck, also a Democrat, raised around $325,000 and spent nearly $590,000.

Tuck, a former charter schools executive, has been endorsed by former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson. His campaign is also getting a lift from Los Angeles businessman Bill Bloomfield, who has paid for $720,000 for independent mailers touting Tuck.

Also vying for the post is Lydia Gutierrez, a Long Beach Unified teacher, who raised around $5,500 and spent $10,000 in the last period. She reported less than $2,000 in the bank.

The job is nonpartisan, meaning candidates’ party affiliations won’t be on the ballot. If a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in June, the race will be settled; if not, the top two vote-getters will compete in the November election.