August 6, 2009: Financial Records Are In For The Governor’s Race So Far
ByWith over a year to go until the November 2010 elections, gubernatorial candidates are ramping up spending and fund raising. Financial reports are now available for the campaigns on the State of California Secretary of State website for the period of 1/9/09-6/30/09. Here’s the financial score card for each candidate:
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $4,642,884.62
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $1,551,328.73
ENDING CASH: $3,701,993.79
The largest contribution chunk to Poizner’s campaign is $4.2 billion from his own personal funds. $770,000 was spent on campaign consultants and $106,000 spent on Info/Tech/Internet.
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $10,813,932.73
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $6,154,146.97
ENDING CASH: $4,962,065.61
Like her primary competition Poizner, Whitman has committed a sizable amount of personal funds, $19 million in total. Other contributions of note include $25,900 from Mitt Romney and $10,000 from Jeffrey Immelt, GE CEO and key member of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board, appointed by President Obama. The bulk of expenditures for the campaign are $2.1 million in campaign consultants and $994,000 in Info/Tech/Internet.
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $305,017.02
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $161,274.01
ENDING CASH: $317,381.69
In the money race, Campbell has his work cut out for him. The campaign spent $44,855 on Info/Tech/Internet, $24,000 on employee salaries and $22,000 on consulting.
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $1,710,948.71
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $1,521,761.85
ENDING CASH: $1,244,919.85
The list of Newsom’s contributors read like an entertainment trade paper. High dollar donors include actors, writers, producers, studio execs and other Hollywood notables. The most “entertaining” contributions are $10,000 from Ryan Seacrest, $25,000 from Rosie O’Donnell and $15,000 from Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich. Most of the campaigns expenditures were $114,000 for Info/Tech/Internet, $62,000 for polling/survey research and $288,000 for consulting. Oh wait….let’s not forget $200 to send thank you flowers to Barbara Streisand for hosting a fundraiser.
Even though he has not officially declared his candidacy for Governor, California Attorney General Jerry Brown is likely going to be Newsom’s Democratic rival. Brown’s 2010 reelection coffers are loaded and every cent can be transferred to a gubernatorial campaign
Democrat Jerry Brown (For Attorney General)
TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $3,505,218.18
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 1/1/2009 – 06/30/2009: $253,181.37
ENDING CASH: $7,386,669.12
Labor Unions play a large part in Brown’s cash lead over Newsom. While Newsom’s donor list is packed with entertainment types, Brown’s is heavy with unions from as far away as New York and Chicago. The SEIU Local 1000 contributed $6,900 and since it is California there are some celebrities, though not in the quantity as Newsom. Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg each donated $13,000 and Hugh Hefner gave $5,000. Brown has been frugal, only spending $16,000 on Info/Tech/Internet and $9,900 on campaign consultants.
We’ll have to wait and see how the primaries turn to see who will win their spot on the ballot next November. The clear winner in this early stage of the race? Campaign consultants.
