If David Bejarano’s fundraising receipts over a two-month period are any indication, the San Diego County sheriff’s race is shaping up to be the local campaign to watch in 2010.
As reported in filings provided by his campaign team, former San Diego Police Chief Bejarano raised a whopping $100,000 in the first six months of the year, with nearly $90,000 in cash-on-hand after expenses, and a little over $11,000 in yet-to-be paid or accrued expenses.
Although the required statements show fundraising efforts between January 1 and June 30, even more striking is that his first contribution was received in early May, meaning that Bejarano’s haul is really over only a two-month period.
Campaign disclosure reports were due at the Registrar of Voters offices by 5 p.m. yesterday (or postmarked by that time), so the other major contenders’ fundraising prowess will be known in the next fews days. (Any candidates that would like to provide the FlashReport a heads up as a comparison, we’re always an email away, otherwise we’ll just pester the ROV come Monday and Tuesday.)
On July 4, the Union-Trib reported that former undersheriff and retired 77th district assemblyman Jay La Suer had raised over $35,000 during the prior reporting period, through December 31 of last year. Bill Gore, then the undersheriff, chalked up over $32,000 during the same time frame. Former sheriff’s lieutenant James Duffy, the chief of staff to county Supervisor Ron Roberts, had brought in over $7,000. Former sheriff department sergeant Bruce Ruff loaned himself a grand.
Yet, some potentially significant campaign-related goings-on have marked the six months since those filings were due. In June, Gore was appointed by the board of supervisors to Bill Kolender’s vacated sheriff’s position, allowing him to run next year as the appointed incumbent. Within the last few days, Duffy announced he is leaving the employ of the county so he can campaign full time. La Suer, in full time mode since last year, has worked hard in an effort to consolidate conservatives behind his efforts. And, lastly — it seems — Bejarano started raising money.
Whether the other candidates’ fundraising reports end up further fleshing out this simmering dust-up or merely show it’s too early to mean much of anything … well, that’s hard to say. The primary election is, after all, still 10 months away. An eternity in politics.
On the other hand, $100k raised in two months (or even six months, for that matter) is nothing to laugh off, especially in this economy.
Bejarano is the first to clearly up the ante. Let’s see who follows.