Follow the money

In relatively low-money City Council elections, where candidates can’t run weekly polls to see how they’re doing, we in the press like to use fund-raising as an approximation of support. But election filings offer all sorts of interesting and entertaining information about candidates. Here’s a look at recent filings from candidates for the June 3 election (not every candidate is mentioned below). The numbers refer to contributions received in 2007:

District 1

In 2004, flight-school owner Phil Thalheimer tried to beat incumbent City Councilmember Scott Peters by spending vast heaps of money. All he got was a $1 million campaign debt and a runner-up ribbon. This year, though he contributed $33,000 to his own campaign, he’s still managed to amass 180 individual donors who have given him $48,880. He’ll fight for more conservative votes with Marshall Merrifield, CEO of lock-and-key supplier Clark Security Products and founder of several wireless Internet startups, who’s loaned himself 62 percent of the $73,040 he has on hand. Community activist and engineer Sherri Lightner raised $48,600, in large part thanks to help from retirees. The Lightner Brigade boasts 99 contributors who listed their occupation as “retired,” more than any other candidate by far.

District 3

Congressmember Susan Davis aide Todd Gloria’s money is all from donors, including developers and lobbyists and folks who work in healthcare and education. Gloria’s $116,681 fund-raising spree forced public-relations professional and community activist Stephen Whitburn to loan himself $43,000, giving him a total of $105,522. Whitburn’s donor list consists of a hodgepodge of educators, homemakers and small-firm attorneys. Former City Councilmember John Hartley has a retiree brigade of his own—some 60 donors. Ex-gay James Hartline raised $3,255 from 25 donors, showing he’s very popular among his immediate circle of friends.

District 5

It’s hard to see anyone stopping the Carl DeMaio steamroller. Sure, the wealthy consultant and activist pitched in $192,000 of his own money, but he also raised $148,000 from regular people. DeMaio’s base appears to be executives. His rolls include 21 CEOs, 11 chairmen, 28 presidents, 34 vice presidents and two vice chancellors. He also had a lot of contributions from business and real-estate interests. Scripps Ranch activist Bob Ilko will have to do his best David imitation to beat this Goliath.

District 7

Former TV reporter Marti Emerald hauled in $81,921 in just a few months of fund-raising, though she’s already found a way to spend $71,342 of it. Some of that has gone to mailers, but a lot went to political consultants like K-M Consultants and Duffy Research. Since some of those bills are not yet paid, Emerald has $30,552 still on hand. An accountant by trade, April Boling has been the worker ant, raising $113,638 over a longer period. She still has $64,875 on hand.   

Write to ericw@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.