DEMS FLUSH WITH CASH IN DISTRICT 2 COUNCIL RACE
Three Democrats competing in one of the June 7 primary’s most competitive races have each raised large amounts of campaign cash to get their message out during the final month of the race.
Challengers Joel Day and Lori Saldana each have more than $20,000 left to spend in their effort to unseat incumbent District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell, who has nearly $120,000 left to spend.
A fourth Democrat in the race, community leader Mandy Havlik, has raised only $6,900 and had only $1,500 left to spend when the latest campaign contribution disclosures were submitted by candidates last week.
Linda Lukacs, the race’s lone Republican, had raised even less at $2,840 — and had just $2,100 left to spend. Day is a former city administrator and Saldana is a former state Assemblywoman.
The candidates who finish first and second in the primary will advance to a November runoff — even if the first-place finisher in the primary receives more than 50 percent of the vote.
District 2 includes Point Loma, Clairemont, Mission Beach, Old Town and some neighboring areas.
In another competitive city race, District 6 candidates Kent Lee and Tommy Hough have also accumulated a lot of cash. But they seem likely to delay heavy campaign spending until later this year because they are both viewed as heavy favorites to make the runoff.
A third candidate, Republican Jane Glasson, hasn’t reported raising any money. The winner of the November runoff will replace termed-out Republican Chris Cate.
Lee, a nonprofit arts executive, has $133,000 in cash on hand. Hough, a county planning commissioner, has $53,700. Hough lost a runoff to Cate the last time the seat was up for grabs in 2018.
Lee significantly outraised Hough during the period covered by the most recent disclosures, Jan. 1 through April 23. He raised $28,141, while Hough raised $6,155.
District 6 includes Mira Mesa, University City, the Convoy District of Kearny Mesa and some neighboring areas.
In two other city races, incumbents lead the way in fundraising by significant margins.
District 4 incumbent Monica Montgomery Steppe has $81,600 cash on hand. Her opponents, Gloria Evangelista and Tylisa Suseberry, haven’t reported raising any money.
District 4 covers much of southeastern San Diego, including Encanto, Skyline and Paradise Hills.
District 8 incumbent Vivian
Moreno has $180,000 cash on hand, while challenger Antonio Martinez — a fellow Democrat — has $46,000. As the only two candidates on the primary ballot, Moreno and Martinez are almost certain to be in a runoff.
Moreno narrowly defeated Martinez in a November 2018 runoff by 549 votes, 14,950 to 14,401. District 8 includes Sherman Heights, Barrio Logan, Otay Mesa and San Ysidro.
Moreno sharply outraised Martinez during the period covered by the most recent disclosures. She raised $41,400, while Martinez raised $7,852.
Some of the cash-onhand totals may be inflated regarding the amount candidates have available to spend in the primary.
Donors can contribute a maximum of $650 for the primary and a maximum of $650 more for the general election. Some of the contribution totals include maximum contributions for both elections, but the second $650 can’t be spent until after the primary.
No independent expenditure committees have been created so far in this city election cycle. The committees, which are controversial, raise money to help candidates get elected, but the candidates have no say in how the money gets spent.