Celebs, CEOs weigh in on NM Senate race
Steven Spielberg, Jenny Craig, Vince Kadlubek among top donors
Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg, Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson are among the well-known names backing Democratic Rep. Ben Ray Luján in his bid to replace Tom Udall in the U.S. Senate.
Meow Wolf co-founder Vince Kadlubek, who recently announced he is stepping down as CEO, is a top contributor to the campaign of Luján’s opponent in the primary: New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.
Even weight-loss guru Jenny Craig is weighing in on the race to fill Democrat Udall’s seat in 2020. Craig — who is no longer associated with the company that carries her name — donated money
to Republican Gavin Clarkson’s campaign.
Fellow Republican Mick Rich’s top contributors are all from New Mexico and many are in the construction industry.
All are among the donors who contributed the maximum $2,800 amounts allowed by the Federal Election Commission for federal campaigns during the third quarter of fundraising this year. Donors are allowed to make two $2,800 contributions in both the primary and general elections.
And that was the case with Spielberg, who contributed $5,600 to Luján’s campaign.
“Growing up with the Goonies and Gremlins, I’m one of many who have been inspired by Mr. Spielberg,” Luján said in a statement to the Journal. “I’m a big fan of E.T. and of Shrek, and I’m honored the creative visionaries who brought happiness to millions support me, too.”
Other Luján donors
Although the majority of donors pitched in much smaller amounts to his campaign, the 3rd Congressional District representative had the most donors contributing the maximum allowed by the FEC. Forty donations of $2,800 were contributed to his campaign.
Katzenberg also made two $2,800 donations to Luján’s campaign, as did Karla Jurvetson, a physician called a Democratic “megadonor” by publications such as The New York Times. She has also contributed to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Senate and presidential campaigns.
Luján’s top donors range from company founders and CEOs, such as Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal of Issaquah, Washington, and Continental Cablevision founder Amos Hostetter, a Boston billionaire, to people in the entertainment industry, including composer Annie McNamee of Woodside, California, and Metropolitan Theatre CEO Bruce Corwin of Beverly Hills.
Some of Luján’s top contributors are Native American tribes. Santo Domingo Pueblo made two contributions totaling $5,000. The Ak-Chin Indian Community of Maricopa, Arizona, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma made contributions of $2,800 each.
Margaret Branch of the Branch Law Firm is among Lujan’s top contributors from New Mexico. She made two donations totaling $5,600. Jacqueline Baca and Gene Baca of Corrales, with Bueno Foods, both made donations of $2,800. Richardson also made a $2,800 contribution.
Luján’s campaign raised more than $1 million for the second straight quarter, including more than $500,000 raised online, with an average donation of $20.
“Ben Ray is putting in the hard work to earn the support of New Mexicans across the state’s 33 counties,” campaign manager Brad Elkins said. “By showing up, listening to their concerns and dreams, and focusing on building a grassroots army, this campaign already has the support of thousands of everyday New Mexicans.”
Backing Toulouse Oliver
Kadlubek’s $2,800 donation was one of eight maximum donations to Toulouse Oliver’s campaign. Isleta Pueblo was also a top state contributor, with a $2,800 donation.
Anne Lovett, a top Democratic donor from Holderness, New Hampshire, pitched in to the secretary of state’s campaign with $2,800. She’s also a contributor to the presidential campaign of South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Toulouse Oliver’s top donors included Barbara Lee of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the founder of the Barbara Lee Foundation, and Stephen Silberstein, of Belvedere, California, founder of Innovative Interfaces, which is a frequent donor to equality causes.
Among her other top donors are Ellen Burns, a consultant from Wellesley, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C., attorney Margaret Kavalaris; and University of California-San Francisco sociologist Gretchen Sisson.
Toulouse Oliver had almost $205,000 in contributions during the quarter, with more than $151,000 in online donations.
“New Mexicans are ready to elect a progressive leader and the first woman from New Mexico to the U.S. Senate,” Toulouse Oliver campaign manager Heather Brewer said. “We appreciate every supporter who digs deep to give a contribution — no matter how small — to help Maggie take on the Washington establishment.”
Clarkson campaign donors
Craig may be the best known of Clarkson’s donors. Clarkson spokesperson Stephen Sebastian said the candidate has dropped 20 pounds since her donations.
The former New Mexico State University professor received 31 donations of $2,800.
Craig — who previously donated to President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign — had two contributions totaling $5,600. That was also the case with McKinley Associates CEO Ronald Weiser of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a former ambassador to Slovenia who recently stepped down as Michigan’s Republican Party chairman.
One of Clarkson’s top contributors, major Republican donor Steven Alembik, is not without controversy. The co-founder of SMA Communications from Sarasota, Florida, has been criticized for racially insensitive posts he made on Twitter that came to light after he contributed to Ron DeSantis’ 2018 gubernatorial campaign in Florida, including a tweet in which he called former President Barack Obama a “F---- MUSLIM N----.” Alembik defended his posts and denied being a racist.
“Dr. Clarkson was unaware of Mr. Alembik’s tweets,” Sebastian told the Journal.
Among Clarkson’s top contributors are PIC Quik Stores president Oscar Andrade of Las Cruces; investor Rebecca Julian of Vancouver, Washington; riding instructor Alicia Grace of Lakeworth, Florida; retiree Gary Covington of Midland, Texas; MLS Direct Network CEO Andy Pitts of Cedar Park, Texas; and SAFTI President William O’Keeffe.
Native American tribes were also among his top donors. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, of which Clarkson is a member, and the Oneida Indian Nation of Oneida, New York, both contributed $2,800.
Clarkson raised about $160,000 during the quarter.
“Our grassroots campaign has attracted contributions from 1,268 unique conservative donors through the end of September,” Sebastian said.
Rich focuses on state donors
All of Albuquerque contractor Mick Rich’s top individual contributors are from New Mexico in his first quarter of fundraising since announcing his candidacy. He reported 10 contributions of $2,800.
Top donors included Albuquerque residents Roger Downey and Christian Downey. Roger Downey is the owner and Christian Downey is a survey agent with the Downey Co.
Both had two contributions totaling $5,600, as did Thoreau retiree Geoff Pratt. Other top contributors included Star Paving president Joe Cruz of Albuquerque; concrete contractor Edward Chavez of Albuquerque; Sandia Park resident Robert Bauder, who is with High Desert Roofing; and retiree Gerald Lafont of Elephant Butte.
“The Mick Rich for U.S. Senate campaign has spent the last 30 days almost exclusively raising money and gaining support from New Mexico voters,” Rich campaign manager Mark Van Dyke said. “Our primary opposition appears to be doing just the opposite.”
Rich’s campaign raised more than $91,000 during the quarter.
Anti-abortion activist Elisa Martinez is considering a Senate run and has been raising money for several weeks, but she has not filed with the FEC and her contributions are not on the FEC website.