Candidates gearing up for the June primary submitted their financial reports for the first period of the year, with heated races shaping up in a number of Central Valley Assembly and Senate districts.
Here’s a look at where the candidates stand after reporting their fundraising totals for the period running from Jan. 1 to April 18:
Assembly District 8: Asm. David Tangipa (R–Clovis) is running unopposed for his second term in the Legislature.
- He raised over $110,000 in the first few months of the year and has $165,700 in the bank.
Assembly District 9: Assembly Minority Leader Heath Flora (R–Ripon) leads his two opponents in the primary with far more cash in the bank.
- Flora raised $170,300 in the period and has $67,600 left on hand.
- Republican challenger Jim Shoemaker took in $32,600 and has $13,300 on hand, while Democrat Adams Matthew raised $3,200 and has $8,700 on hand.
Assembly District 22: Asm. Juan Alanis (R–Modesto) is running unopposed, unsurprisingly so given his vast war chest.
- Alanis raised $87,300 for his reelection bid and reported $547,000 on hand.
Assembly District 27: The race for the 27th district is looking like one of the most expensive contests, with Asm. Esmeralda Soria (D–Fresno) leaving the district to run for State Senate.
- Democratic Fresno County Supervisor Brian Pacheco led the fundraising by bringing in $274,300 in the period, bringing his cash-on-hand total to $663,000.
- Former Merced Mayor Mike Murphy, a Republican, had $98,700 in fundraising, giving him $343,500 in his war chest.
- Progressive Democrat Livingston City Councilman Japjeet Singh Uppal is far behind the other two candidates, raising $18,900 in the period with $8,200 on hand.
Assembly District 31: Asm. Joaquin Arambula (D–Fresno) is departing Sacramento after a decade due to unique term limits for the member elected during an early 2016 Special Election.
- As it stands now, one current Fresno City Councilmember has a significant financial advantage to succeed Arambula in the Legislature.
- Fresno City Councilwoman Annalisa Perea raised $196,000 in the first few months of the year and reported $391,200 in her war chest.
- Fresno Building Healthy Communities CEO Sandra Celedon took in $85,000 in donations, giving her $131,400 on hand.
- James Polsgrove, the lone Republican in the race, brought in $600 and has $14,800 on hand.
Assembly District 32: Kern County Supervisor David Couch is running unopposed in the 32nd district to succeed Asm. Stan Ellis (R–Bakersfield), after he wraps up his short term in the Legislature.
- Couch reported $125,900 in contributions and has $131,900 in the bank.
Assembly District 33: Asm. Alexandra Macedo (R–Tulare) is running unopposed for her second term in the Assembly.
- She raised $91,700 and has $541,100 in her war chest.
Assembly District 35: The 35 district is opening up with Asm. Jasmeet Bains (D–Delano) deciding to run for Congress.
- It’s a tight fundraising battle to succeed Bains, with Bakersfield City Councilman Andrae Gonzales coming out on top. He raised $165,100 in the period and has $191,300 in his war chest.
- Saul Ayon is closely behind, having raised $140,700 in the first few months of the year with $141,200 in the bank.
- Ana Palacio rounds out the candidates with $58,600 in fundraising and $124,000 in her war chest.
Senate District 4: Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R–Jackson) is running for reelection as a Republican two years after leaving the Democratic Party.
- Alvarado-Gil took in $85,000 in the period and has $92,200 ready to deploy in her war chest.
- But Republican challenger Alexandra Duarte boasts much more financial might. She raised $191,500 and has $254,900 on hand.
- Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon, the lone Democrat in the race, came close to Alvarado-Gil by raising $70,800 and reporting $72,400 in the bank.
Senate District 12: Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig appears well positioned to succeed Sen. Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield) in the 12th district.
- Magsig raised $196,400 in the period, bringing his cash-on-hand total to $645,500.
- William Brown and Louis Anthony Miramontes both filed papers to run for the seat but apparently did not submit financial reports, according to the state’s campaign finance database.
Senate District 14: The three-person race to succeed Sen. Anna Caballero (D–Merced) features a vast financial disparity.
- Asm. Esmeralda Soria (D–Fresno) had a substantial period, raising $441,400, giving her more than $1 million in her war chest.
- Her two challengers are Merced City Councilman Darin DuPont and Sanger City Councilwoman Esmeralda Hurtado.
- DuPont took in $37,300 and has $17,300 in the bank, while Hurtado raised $4,000 and has $11,800 on hand.
Senate District 16: While Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D–Bakersfield) faces two challengers in her reelection bid, she holds the financial advantage after raising $275,100 in the period with $239,700 remaining on hand.
- Bakersfield City Councilwoman Manpreet Kaur raised $158,200 and has $99,900 on hand, followed by Guillermo Gonzalez, who raised $71,400 and has $26,600 in the bank.
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