Politics & Government

See Who Is Funding the Race for Council District 1

Leading candidates Gil Cedillo and Jose Gardea hold a strong fundraising advantage over their opponents in the race for the first district.

More than $654,000 has been spent in the campaign leading up to Tuesday's Council District 1 primary election, according to the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission's online database.

The vast majority of that money has been spent by the campaigns of the two leading candidates. California State Assemblyman Gilbert Cedillo and Jose Gardea, longtime chief of staff for outgoing Councilman Ed Reyes, have spent $407,700 and $243,011 respectively on campaign costs ranging from advertising to consulting to office space.

The other candidates, local businessman Jesse Rosas and Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council Member William Rodriguez Morrison, have spent considerably less their more-established competitors. Rosas has spent $3,500, Morrison $200.

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Gardea has raised $307,800 thus far, more than any other candidate. His coffers were partly filled by 150 contributions of $700 each. A sampling of the $700 donors includes the Utility Workers Union of America COPE; developer Thomas Warren of Holland Partner Group, and small business owner Hargunvir K. Singh, co-owner of a 7-11 franchise.

See the full list of Gardea's contributors here

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Cedillo is running a close second to Gardea in fund-raising, so far amassing a $272,533 war chest. His top donors include Union Pacific Railroad, $1,000; Alta Med President Castulo de la Rocha, $700; and the California Berry Farmers PAC, $700. 

See the full list of Gardea's contributors here

Cedillo leads the way in backing from outside groups, which have donated $251,000. The top supporters include a group called Working Californians to Elect Cedillo & Choi to City Council 2013, Supported by Labor Unions & Business, which has donated $28,675; LA Jobs PAC Sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, $22,807; and Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Council on Political Education, $18,666.

LA Jobs PAC Sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, has spent a total of $32,000 to oppose Gardea's campaign.

See the full list of Cedillo's contributors here

Gardea has not received funding from outside groups. 

Funding for Morrison, who the LA City Clerk indicates will not be on Tueday's ballot, is limited to a single $200 contribution from an individual named Dennis Schneider. 

Rosas has received nearly $3,000 in contributions, made up mostly of $100 to $200 donations from local business owners. Rosas' largest contribution, $581, came from Martin Espadas, manager of Espadas Creative Communications.

 

CORRECTION: The original version of this story reported that LA Jobs PAC Sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce spent $32,000 to support Gardea's campaign. The money was spent in opposition to his run.


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