ELECTION ’12//OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL RACES | Fairly even fundraising totals from the first half of the year in Oakland’s four contested council races show none of the candidates have stretched a commanding lead with less than a 100 day remaining until the November elections. However, a few are beginning to show crucial grassroots support in recent campaign finance reports released this week.

DISTRICT 1 | Three candidates have distanced themselves from the six-person field. Dan Kalb leads the pack with $34,255 in cash on hand through June 30, the end of the most recent filing period. Kalb raised $41, 527 in the first half of the year, including a $9,000 personal loan to his campaign. State Sen. Mark Leno contributed $150, along with Assemblyman Jared Huffman’s 2016 senate committee donating $100. Richard Raya finished second with $29,884 in cash remaining. He raised $31,812 this year, including a $10,000 loan in June and the $700 finance limit from 18th Assembly District candidate Abel Guillen.

Amy Lemley reported $26,230 in cash on hand, but her overall report was perhaps the most impressive of any candidate. Lemley raised $36,903 without the cushion of personal loans or campaign-related debt. According to the reports, she is also the clear choice among the current city council’s female caucus. Council members Pat Kernighan ($250), Libby Schaaf ($250) and Nancy Nadel ($100) all made personal donations to Lemley’s campaign.

A fourth candidate, Don Link, reported $6,432 in cash with $10,578 in fundraising that includes celebrity chef Narsai David ($500) and Mayor Jean Quan’s husband, Dr. Floyd Huen ($700). Don Macleay reported $100 in cash on $400 in contributions and Craig Brandt did not report any fundraising.

OAK D1……$$IN…..$$OUT….DEBT…..CASH…
KALB……..$41,527..$ 7,507..$ 9,235..$34,255
RAYA……..$31,812..$ 2,565..$10,637..$29,884
LEMLEY……$36,903..$11,461..$     0..$26,230
LINK……..$10,578..$ 4,146..$ 4,446..$ 6,432
MACLEAY…..$   400..$   300..$     0..$   100
BRANDT……(NO FUNDRAISING REPORTED)………

DISTRICT 3 | As in District 1, three candidates are beginning to show fundraising prowess. Sean Sullivan, who was a runner-up for the seat four years ago, reported $47,981 in cash remaining. The figure is by far the biggest campaign coffer for a candidate in any of the four races. Sullivan raised $26,578 during the reporting period, while spending $10,704. Two of his challengers also reported cash in excess of $30,000, although both also have incurred large amounts of debt.

Lynette Gibson-McElhaney reported $31,810 in cash, according to campaign finance reports. She raised $19,011, however, $15,250 came from a personal loan on June 27. Alex Miller-Cole raised $28,354, while reporting $30,114 in cash on hand. But, like, Gibson-McElhaney, his total is inflated with $18,389 in loans and a $5,000 debt to his consultant, Larry Tramutola.

Nyeisha DeWitt leads the rest of the field with fundraising of $20,196 and $12, 132 in cash remaining. Ted Fang of AsianWeek was a contributor of note, along with Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, who both gave $700. Former 18th Assembly District candidate Joel Young donated $100. Longshoreman Derrick Muhammad raised $7,673 mostly on the strength of his fellow union members, including ILWU’s Clarence Thomas, Jr. and $1,673 in four small loans to himself. Muhammad reported $3,036 left in the bank. Damon Eaves also reported $398 in cash remaining on $205 in contributions to his campaign.

OAK D3……$$IN…..$$OUT….DEBT…..CASH…
SULLIVAN….$26,578..$10,704..$   310..$47,981
MCELHANEY…$19,011..$ 2,450..$15,250..$31,810
MILLER-COLE.$28,354..$21,629..$23,389..$30,114
DEWITT……$20,196..$ 8,163..$…..0..$12,132
MUHAMMAD….$ 7,673..$ 8,184..$ 1,673..$ 3,036
EAVES…….$   205..$    64..$     0..$   398

DISTRICT 7 | Councilman Larry Reid’s re-election campaign is, apparently, nowhere near fighting off a challenge from Sheryl Walton. Reid’s most recent filing showed just negligible fundraising with just $500 in the first half of the year and $1,237 in unpaid bills. Walton, however, raised $27,670 aided by a $8,450 loan on June 29. her $26,230 in cash on hand is blunted by an additional $8,481 in unpaid campaign debt.

OAK D7……$$IN…..$$OUT…..DEBT…..CASH…
WALTON……$27,670..$ 9,385…$16,931..$26,765
REID……..$   500..$ 1,237…$ 1,237..$   500

AT-LARGE | In Oakland’s now-contested at-large seat, Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan  reported $27,009 in donations, including some of the biggest names in the current campaign season. They include, $300 from 18th Assembly District candidate Rob Bonta and $100 each from Guillen, Kalb, District 5 candidate Mario Juarez, former Assembly candidate Kathy Neal and 20th Assembly District candidate Bill Quirk. The California Nurses Association also pitched in $1,000.

Kaplan, who is facing Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente this fall, reported $16,638 in cash and $22,630 in expenditures along with debt of $13,298. De La Fuente did not report fundraising for the period, but $102,000 in cash sits in his 2006 mayoral campaign account. While he cannot use those funds, they can surely be used as leverage when he begins passing the hat among his cadre of local supporters.

OAK AT-L….$$IN…..$$OUT….DEBT…..CASH…
KAPLAN……$27,009..$22,630..$13,298..$16,638
DELAFUENTE..(NO FUNDRAISING REPORTED)………

DISTRICT 5 | De La Fuente’s current District 5 seat is up-for-grab even though one of the current duo of candidate had a head start in fundraising. Noel Gallo reported raising $32,210 in campaign contributions, but includes a contribution from himself of $20,000 and a hefty $32,268 in unpaid campaign debts. The bulk of the unpaid bills belong to consultant Larry Tramutola ($20,425) and a design firm ($4,500). Gallo, though, reported $27,022 in cash on hand through June 30. His opponent, Mario Juarez, did not report fundraising during the first half of the year.

OAK D5……$$IN…..$$OUT….DEBT…..CASH…
GALLO…….$32,210..$37,455..32,268…$27,022
JUAREZ……(NO FUNDRAISING REPORTED)………