Saturday, May 24, 2008

Hancock pulls ahead of Chan with late fundraising push

SACRAMENTO — Over the last two months heading into the June 3 primary, Berkeley Assemblywoman Loni Hancock has reeled in twice as much cash as former lawmaker Wilma Chan, her opponent for an East Bay state Senate seat.

Hancock has been the Democratic establishment's choice, and her lead in fundraising reflects that, according to campaign finance reports filed Friday with the Secretary of State's office.

She has raised $249,379 since mid-March to Chan's $97,992 in the same period. Overall this year, Hancock has raised $374,476 to Chan's $131,552 — indicating the current lawmaker is an overwhelming favorite over the ex-lawmaker, at least among the money-giving crowd.

Chan's spokesman Dave Chilenski said Hancock's advantage "reflects her incumbent status. ... She's using that advantage to raise funds from Sacramento interests."

But the two Democrats are just about even in cash on hand in the final 10 days of the campaign.

Having maintained her campaign kitty from her time as Assemblywoman, Chan has roughly the same resources as Hancock to draw upon for the last days of the campaign. Chan has been able to go toe-to-toe in spending with Hancock: she's spent $343,303 from the beginning of the year, compared with Hancock's $399,648.

Hancock has $343,551 cash on hand; Chan has $320,300 left.

Still, Hancock says her fundraising advantage has been negated by the help Chan has received from an independent Advertisementexpenditure committee that has been attacking Hancock in mailers sent to voters throughout the district, which encompasses parts of Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

The committee, Education Leaders for High Standards, accused Hancock of lowering education standards with a bill she sponsored in 2006 that allowed students to be classified proficient without performing at grade level. Chan voted for the bill — ultimately vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — and has criticized the committee for the attack, but Hancock says she expects more attacks in the final days of the campaign.

The committee was formed by the Tribal Business Alliance, which has taken $619,000 from Indian tribes, including $244,000 from San Pablo-based Lytton Band of Pomo Indians — rebuffed in 2004 by Hancock when she led the effort to block Lytton's attempt to expand gaming operations in San Pablo.

"I'll be outspent considerably in the last days of the campaign," Hancock said. "I have to assume there will be more to come. There'll be a barrage of last-minute attack ads."

Chilenski, said Chan's campaign has no control over independent expenditures, but noted that Hancock will get plenty of support from the state Democratic Party.

"It all sort of equals out," he said.

Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi, D-Castro Valley, is continuing to use her campaign treasury to help her husband out politically, paying for bills he's incurred in his run for Alameda County Superior Court.

Previously, Hayashi donated $25,324 to her husband, Dennis, to help him retire debts from two previous campaigns. This year she's contributed $24,207 to his campaign for Superior Court: for a ballot statement with the Alameda County Registrar ($11,227), a slate mailer ($6,555), a newspaper ad ($3,500), a filing fee ($1,788), and printing ($1,137).



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