Money flows into Santa Clara County supervisor race
Two of five candidates in upcoming election have collected the quarter-million dollars permitted by voluntary spending limits — and two others are close behind
Two of the five candidates gunning for terming- out Supervisor Ken Yeager’s post next year have amassed the quarter-million dollars allowed under voluntary spending limits. Recent filings show former San Jose City Councilman Pierluigi Oliverio hit the benchmark that Santa Clara Councilman Dominic Caserta set in February.
Two more aren’t far behind. Outgoing San Jose Councilman Don Rocha is at $140,000 and Susan Ellenberg, director of the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership San Jose, has $110,000.
Former Campbell Councilman Jason Baker trails in the money race with $52,000.
Oliverio said he amassed his $255,000 from more than 700 donors in the 11 weeks after the Easter holiday until the close of the reporting period on June 30.
“I sent out letters seeking support, and heard back from friends, people I went to kindergarten with, people in the district,” said Oliverio, who has a large base of donors in San Jose. “Many came from people who were happy with the customer service I provided or my voting record on the council.”
Caserta, who has received $309,000 from 330 donors, put out a press release last week that said he “can now focus my time on
talking to voters instead of making donor calls.”
Caserta is also the top spender, with about $20,000 paid out, primarily on direct voter outreach, according to the release. Ellenberg has spent $15,000, Oliverio $5,000 and the other two candidates about $2,000 apiece.
There is a voluntary fundraising limit of $250,000 per election for county races. The primary election is set for June 5. If none of the candidates receives a majority of the vote, the top two finishers will face off in the November general election.
Patricia Gardner of the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits said Wednesday that she was on the verge of deciding against a run when she was given impetus by state AB 1250, a unionbacked bill that would restrict counties’ ability to contract with nonprofits, community-based organizations and local businesses.
“I was pretty much thinking I’m not going to run,” she said. “But I’ve been approached by a lot of people about the bill. I’m re-thinking it.”
Candidates have until March 14 to file to enter the primary race. .
District 4 includes includes west San Jose and the Rose Garden and Willow Glen neighborhoods, the unincorporated areas of Burbank and Cambrian and the cities of Campbell and Santa Clara.
Yeager, who has not yet made an endorsement, said he sees a field of “five very competitive candidates.”
“I don’t think there’s a front-runner among the five, but they all seem to be able to raise a pretty good amount of money,” he said. “It will be a very interesting race to watch.”