Follow the Money: Whelan Flexes Fundraising Muscle

Financial figures are in for the first 111 days of the year of the Fresno City Council campaign.

Candidates have released their Form 460, which lists how much money they raised, plus who made donations greater than $100. Certain political committees can donate more. The period covers Jan. 1 to April 21.

District 7 candidate Brian Whelan has raised the most money in any of the four seats up for election in the June 5 primary.

The following is a district-by-district look at who has raised how much. The first table contain information on how much overall is raised (including how much of that is in the form of a loan). Contributions received includes how much cash has been raised, loans, plus non-monetary contributions. It also includes which individuals or businesses have donated the maximum amount of $4,400 per election cycle.

The second table shows how much cash the candidate has available, and also how much their campaign is in debt.

District 1

Esmeralda Soria, for an uncontested race, raised $116,629 for her campaign. One of the more interesting donors: Major Leagu Baseball pitcher Matt Garza, who is sitting out 2018 with a shoulder injury. He gave the maximum $4,400.

Most of the money for Soria came from a March fundraiser, held at the Fig Garden home of her boyfriend, local developer Terence Frazier. According to her fundraising documents, Soria paid Frazier $500 under the description of “fundraising event.”

Frazier also received another $318.95 under the category of office expenses.

Chef Ryan Scott, who catered the event, received $2,821 for his services.

District 3

The big money is not pouring into the District 3 race to replace termed-out Oliver Baines.

Miguel Arias is the overall and cash raised leader. He has received more than $26,000, with $10,000 coming from a self-loan. He also has the most remaining, just a shade above $10,000.

Craig Scharton is next up for cash raised (more than $11,000), with only a $300 loan to himself.

No one has achieved a maximum donation of $4,400. Most other reported amounts are donors under $1,000.

District 5

District 5 incumbent Luis Chavez is the clear money leader, receiving contributions from labor, developers and even conservative insurance agency owner Michael Der Manouel Jr. ($1,200). Chavez started with more than $30,000 in cash from his prior campaign.

Chavez has also donated $500 to Kevin de Leon’s U.S. Senate campaign, and $2,000 to Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas’ Fresno Unified trustee campaign. Jonasson Rosas and Chavez are married.

Paula Yang has raised $11,500 in cash, but also has the largest amount of campaign debt. Her $4,000 loan is from Juan Carmona Jr., who is listed as a Sprint store manager.

Jose Barraza may seem like he raised a lot, but much of it is using $12,550 worth of old campaign signs. He did not report a donor outside himself.

District 7

Whelan, the attorney backed by termed-out Clint Olivier and Mayor Lee Brand, is the fundraising leader. With more than $192,000 raised and $157,000 on hand, he is the only candidate in a competitive race to reach six-figures. That is more than 3.5 times the second-place fundraiser for the period. Much of his support comes from the business community.

Veva Islas sits in second place on the District 7 money board. A number of her donors come from the Bay Area. Her largest contributor is Eva Grove, a Los Altos philanthropist, with $3,000.

Nelson Esparza’s biggest donor is the plumbers and pipefitters union at $5,000. He received the Fresno County Democrats endorsement, but no money from the group in this reporting period.