Garcetti, Greuel tie for lead in fundraising for mayoral race
City Councilwoman Jan Perry has only raised half
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—City Controller Wendy Greuel and Councilman Eric Garcetti raised nearly equal amounts of money for their respective mayoral campaigns, putting them well ahead of other candidates eight months before the March primary, documents filed with the City Ethics Commission show.
Garcetti and Greuel each raised about $2.2 million since announcing their candidacies last year, with Garcetti nudging out Greuel by a $322.31 margin. Both candidates have $1.8 million in their campaign war chests.
City Councilwoman Jan Perry, another top contender in the mayor's race, has raised $826,930, less than half of Greuel and Garcetti's haul. Attorney and former radio host Kevin James, the only conservative candidate in the race, has raised $220,000, according to his campaign, about one-quarter of what Perry raised.
Austin Beutner raised a significant amount of money—$1.9 million—before dropping out of the race in May, most of which he returned to donors.
In March, the City Ethics Commission, which sets fundraising limits for mayoral elections, raised the maximum amount donors can give to candidates for citywide offices from $1,000 to $1,300 to account for inflation since the limits were first set in 1990. The increase allowed candidates to hit up donors who had previously maxxed out their contributions for more money.
Political analysts expect voters' attention to be on the presidential campaign through November and for the mayoral race not to heat up until January, after the winter holidays.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Voters across the city will go to the polls today to choose from a slate of eight candidates vying for a spot in a likely May run-off for the mayor’s office.
VAN NUYS, Calif. — Mayoral hopeful Eric Garcetti picked up the endorsement of another former candidate today, with Republican attorney Kevin James backing the councilman’s campaign.
James’ endorsement, announced at a Van Nuys news conference, gives Garcetti the backing of the other three most visible former mayoral candidates.
James finished third in the March 5 primary election, followed by Councilwoman Jan Perry and former tech executive Emanuel Pleitez, both of whom have thrown their support behind Garcetti.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Former President Bill Clinton endorsed the mayoral campaign of Wendy Greuel today, calling her a “smart, dedicated and creative problem-solver.”
“She knows how to make government work for ordinary people, and she’s been doing it for decades, not only when times are good, but especially during periods of crisis,” Clinton said. “I saw that strength of Wendy’s first-hand in 1994.”
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—In the mayor’s race, Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti welcomed an endorsement by colleague Paul Krekorian today, while City Controller Wendy Greuel said she had the backing of former Assemblyman Mike Eng.
Krekorian, whose San Fernando Valley-based council seat was once held by Greuel, said Garcetti was the best person to tackle the city’s estimated $165 million budget deficit.
Veteran politician Curren Price Jr. will face-off against first-time political candidate Ana Cubas on May 21 during the general election for the Los Angeles City Council 9th District seat.
Based on unofficial voting results from Tuesday, Price (27.22 percent) and Cubas (23.96 percent) were the top two vote-getters in a field of seven.
Cubas bested veteran politician Mike Davis (who collected 15.69 percent of ballots) as well as David Roberts, a longtime City Hall operative much like herself.
