Maienschein leads in fundraising over Ferbert

In what looks like the only currently competitive race in San Diego’s local 2024 election, Assemblymember Brian Maienschein has a large fundraising lead over Chief Deputy City Attorney Heather Ferbert in their battle to succeed City Attorney Mara Elliott.

Maienschein raised $116,000 during the first six months of 2023 compared to $47,000 for Ferbert, according to campaign donation disclosures submitted last week.

In the mayor’s race, incumbent Todd Gloria raised $341,000. Seven opponents have filed papers to challenge Gloria, but none reported raising any money during the first half of this year.

The challengers are Sword Shaw, Jane Glasson, Jonathan Baird, Athena Johnson, Alexander Brown, Maria Orozco and Daniel Smiechowski.

The five City Council races on the 2024 ballot all feature incumbents who are running either unopposed or against challengers who haven’t reported raising any money.

Marni von Wilpert in north inland District 5, Raul Campillo in central eastern District 7 and Joe LaCava in north coastal District 1 are each running unopposed.

During the first half of 2023, Von Wilpert led all council candidates with $160,000 in contributions, Campillo raised $101,000 and LaCava got $44,000.

Stephen Whitburn in central urban District 3 raised $101,000. His two opponents, Coleen Cusack and Ellis California Jones, did not report any donations during the first half of the year.

Sean Elo-Rivera, who serves as council president and represents south central District 9, raised $39,000. His only challenger, podcast host and former congressional candidate Fernando Garcia, hasn’t reported any donations.

In each of the races, there will be a runoff in November between the top two finishers in the March primary regardless of whether a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in March.

There could be a sixth council seat on the ballot next year if Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe wins an ongoing special election for county supervisor.