By Allen Payton
In the race for Contra Costa County Supervisor in District 5, the incumbent, Federal Glover has an overwhelming lead in campaign funding in his bid for a fifth term. Reports were due on Thursday, April 28 covering the period of January 1 through April 23, 2016 and only three of the five candidates submitted one.
He reported raising $26,894 during the period, but started with a beginning cash balance of $37,372.32 in his campaign account. Glover carried over $23,616.51 from his 2012 re-election campaign account and didn’t start raising funds for his 2016 re-election campaign until 2014, for a total of $5,025 for that year. Then, last year he raised another $13,055 for a total of $45,469 raised for this year’s re-election effort,
Glover also has an Officeholder Account which had $68,918.40 in the bank at the beginning of the year. However, he stated today, Thursday, May 12, 2016, that (correcting the record from previous misinformation provided to this reporter) those funds can not be spent on his re-election campaign.
“I wish I had that money for my campaign,” Glover said with a laugh.
The other two who submitted reports were Martinez Vice Mayor AnaMarie Avila Farias, who was in a distant second, having raised $7,000 and Hercules Mayor Dan Romero, who reported raising $5,655.
Neither former Martinez Mayor Mike Menesini nor Martinez resident Conrad Dandridge submitted financial reports.
A supervisor candidate’s campaign committee is required to file a Form 460 financial report to the County Clerk’s Office, if they have raised or spent $2,000 or more in an election. However, the filing and ballot statement fees are not counted against that amount.
“It just got turned in. There was a mix up,” Dandridge said. “I turned it into the state.”
“I have just started raising money after the 23rd but, I turned one in anyhow for transparency,” he added. “I hadn’t raised $2,000 but I am at that threshold, now. I got donations, last week.
Asked if he was a serious candidate since he hadn’t raised at least $2,000 by April 23rd, Dandridge responded, “I am a serious candidate.”
“My learning curve, based on my first, and only race, when I first ran in 2006, I learned some serious lessons that I am applying, now,” Dandridge continued. “Last time I was a self-funded candidate. Had the option to do that, now but don’t plan to do that this time. We have a Go-Fund me page. Folks wanted to fund me early on, but I told them to wait. But, the funds are coming in.”
Glover’s largest contribution during the reporting period was $5,000 from I.B.E.W. Local Union No. 302 PAC. Glover spent a total of $41,915.74 from both accounts, with almost half of that, $20,245.67 paid to Rossi Communications, for his campaign consultant Mary Jo Rossi. He ended the period with $25,388.35 in the bank.
Avila Farias’s largest contribution was $5,000 from the Professional Firefighters in the county. She showed no expenses, although she has large campaign signs up in the District.
When asked why the expense was not reported, Avila Farias replied “We hadn’t been invoiced for them, yet.”
She also stated she had received another $5,000 contribution from the Deputy Sheriffs Association, since the reporting period ended.
Romero’s largest contributions were $1,675 received from Republic Services, one of the garbage companies in the county, and $1,500 from Sonnikson Stordahl Construction in Martinez.
Menesini did not respond to efforts to contact him for this story.
Please see the reports, below. Additional reports for Glover have been added for the periods he raised funds for his 2016 re-election campaign committee. All of his reports prior to that period can be seen on the County Elections Office website.
Glover campaign Fin Rpt 010116-042316
Glover campaign Fin Rpt 0701-123115
