Chris Kelly Raises, then Spends, Big Time Money

[Cheryl Miller]

Those political ads clogging the airwaves these days may be annoying, but they're also expensive. Just ask Chris Kelly.

The Democratic candidate for attorney general spent $8.95 million between March 18 and May 22, according to records his campaign filed with the Secretary of State’s office. Presumably those millions were spent on all those TV ads that pop up frequently during the six o’clock news and Late Night with David Letterman (at least here in Sacramento).

All that spending left the former Facebook privacy guru with just $102,984 left in his campaign coffers on May 22. Of course, since Kelly has already poured almost $10 million in personal wealth into his AG effort, writing another big check shouldn’t be a problem. Unless, of course, Kelly is afraid that rival Kamala Harris will smack him around again with claims that he illegally funded his campaign.

Speaking of Harris, here’s a look at the amount of money each of the Democratic candidates for AG reported raising between March 18 and May 22. 

The second number is the amount of cash on hand they reported on the final day.

Chris Kelly ($5.7 million, $102,984) 

Kamala Harris ($810,884, $636,471) 

Rocky Delgadillo ($268,995, $147,762) 

Ted Lieu ($239,162, $577,002) 

Alberto Torrico ($180,372, $522,335) 

Pedro Nava ($17,532, $24,534) 

Michael Schmier (no reports filed with the state)

In the Republican race, Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley has been a fundraising machine. He raised $916,066 from March through May – the most of any candidate of either party who’s not a Facebook millionaire.

Here’s a look at the numbers for the GOP field.

Steve Cooley ($916,066, $222,280) 

John Eastman ($295,302, $158,444) 

Tom Harman ($163,288, $112,645)

Comments

[Geeoff Bush]

It is interesting how the California Democratic Party, the League of Women Voters, and the California media in general have denied Mr. Schmier's candidacy. Apparently it is about cash ... they don't take him seriously, though he is the only one confronting serious issues, because he doesn't have a fat bank account for his campaign. It seems like California, for all its self aggrandizement as a trend setting state, is nothing more than West Washington.