With sizable donations from unions and colleagues at the state Capital, first-term state legislator Betsy Butler is boasting the biggest campaign war chest in the race for the 50th Assembly District.
Butler reported having $463,687 on hand in the most recent filings with the Secretary of Sate ahead of the June 5 primary. While firefighter and labor unions, lawmakers and political action committees cut Butler big checks, she wasn’t the only candidate to rake in more than a quarter of a million dollars from January to mid-March. And, she wasn’t spending the most, either.
Torie Osborn—the grassroots organizer who snagged endorsements this winter from most of the area’s local Democratic clubs—reported $429,450 and outspent Butler by $28,679 with $120,549 in expenditures in the last filing period. Comparatively, contributions to Osborn's campaign were largely made in smaller amounts ranging $25-$1,000.
Four , which spans north to Agoura Hills, west to Santa Monica and east to Hollywood. Currently the Assemblywoman representing much of the South Bay in the 53rd District, Butler was one of the three Democratic candidates who filed reports by the March 22 detailing campaign contributions and spending.
The lone Republican, Brad Torgan of West Hollywood, announced his candidacy much later in February and did not file a report last month.
Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom is running a much smaller campaign, with about one-fourth of the cash brandished by the two women candidates.
He reported a total of $134,365, with $32,326 in donations in the most recent filing period when his biggest contributor was John Paul de Joria, billionaire co-founder of Beverly Hills-based hair care line Paul Mitchell.
