Correction: The fundraising totals reported for Mayor James Hahn and challenger Antonio Villaraigosa in the original item were incorrect. Figures have been corrected in the story below.
As the mayoral race enters the home stretch, challenger Antonio Villaraigosa has vastly outraised and outspent incumbent Mayor James Hahn and has a substantial cash pile on hand, according to campaign finance reports filed with the L.A. City Ethics Commission onThursday.
Between April 3 and May 4, Villaraigosa raised $2.2 million, compared to just $763,000 for Hahn.
As of April 30, Villaraigosa reported having $1.8 million in cash on hand to spend on paid advertising and get-out-the-vote efforts during the final days leading up to the May 17 runoff, compared with $1.1 million for Hahn.
Villaraigosa had already spent $2.2 million through April 30, compared to just $581,000 for Hahn. However, $1 million was spent on Hahn’s behalf by independent entities, primarily union organizations, versus $1.2 million for Villaraigosa.
While Villaraigosa has built a commanding fundraising lead, it has come at a price.
Late last month, the Daily Breeze reported that Villaraigosa received $179,000 in donations from individuals and entities in Florida, including $41,000 from employees at Travel Traders Inc. and SE Florida Investments. Sean Anderson, the president of Travel Traders, formerly headed the U.S. retail and travel operations of W.H. Smith, which had a major concession contract at Los Angeles International Airport.
On April 29, L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley opened a preliminary inquiry into the Florida donations.
In addition, press reports this week raised questions about $82,700 in independent expenditures from Richard Meruelo, the largest landholder in Downtown L.A. who has frequently rankled residents of neighborhoods near some of his holdings.
Meanwhile, in the only other candidate race on May 17, community activist Flora Gil Krisiloff has jumped out to a lead over former cable television talk show host Bill Rosendahl for the open Westside city council seat.
Krisiloff reported raising $208,000 since the March 8 primary, compared to Rosendahl’s $183,000. She also has $158,000 cash on hand, more than twice as much as Rosendahl’s $78,000. But Rosendahl has been the beneficiary of $121,000 in independent expenditures mostly from union organizations backing him, while Krisiloff has had $70,000 spent on her behalf.
