AD 36 more candidates, fewer contributions
On the March 5 Primary Ballot, seven candidates are seeking the state Assembly seat for District 36. No incumbent is in the election. The Democratic Party candidates are Edgard Garcia, Jose “Joey” Acuna, Waymond Fermon, Tomas Olivia and Eric Rodriguez. The two Republican Party candidates are Jeff Gonzalez and Kalin Morse. The two candidates with the most votes will advance to the November Presidential Ballot.
The incumbent Assembly member, Eduardo Garcia, announced in December that he would not seek reelection. So, all seven candidates have had only three months to raise funds for their election effort, although Morse did announce his candidacy in October.
No campaign financial data is available for Olivia and Rodriguez on the Secretary of State’s website.
Acuna received five contributions for $10,900. All have been from employee groups such as United Food and Commercial Workers or the state Council of Service Employees. He also has received contributions of $5,500 each from 28 donors. These include Morongo Band of Mission Indians, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Twenty-nine Palms Band of Mission Indians, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen and the California Association of Mutual Water Companies.
He also received two $5,500 donations from both Garcia and one from Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez.
Since Feb. 17, he has received about another $34,000 in contributions.
Gonzalez received about 40 contributions by Feb. 17, but the two from the state Republican Party totaled slightly more than $125,000. He also received $17,000 from five other donors, four of whom are Republican Assembly candidates in other districts. Since then, he has only reported one contribution of $5,700, also from the California Republican Party.
Morse received only five contributions by Feb. 17. Two, for slightly more than $125,000, were from the California Republican Party. Morse made a $190 nonmonetary contribution to his campaign. Since Feb. 17, he has received three more contributions totaling $147,321. Two for $144,321 were from the California Republican Party.
