AN UNSEEMLY LEGISLATIVE POWER GRAB

The leaders of the Democratic and Republican caucuses in the state Legislature are among the most powerful politicians in the state. These four lawmakers — currently two men in the Assembly and two women in the Senate — are also among the most important fundraisers for their respective political parties. But when it comes to deciding how to use the funds they raise, well, they are not so powerful. State law allows lawmakers and their campaign committees to contribute no more than $4,400 to a candidate per election, the same as any other individual donor. By contrast, a political party can donate an unlimited amount to the candidates they endorse. The difference in contribution limits wasn’t so important not all that long ago, as legislative leaders and the party to which they belonged generally shared the goal of getting as many of their ilk elected to office as possible. But now that the top-two primary has upended the state’s elections, often pitting two candidates from the same party in the general election, there is sometimes disagreement between lawmakers and their party organizations about which candidate to support. Here’s an example: In 2016, Raul Bocanegra challenged Assemblywoman Patty Lopez (D-san Fernando), who had unseated him from the job two years before. The Democratic Party endorsed Bocanegra, a former rising star in the party, and pumped money into his campaign. (Party rules don’t allow resources to be spent on candidates who don’t get the official party endorsement.)

Los Angeles Times