Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

West Bank Town Becomes ‘Big Prison’ as Israel Fences It In

4 days ago

Trump Says He’s Willing to Let Migrant Farm Laborers Stay in US

4 days ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

4 days ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

4 days ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

4 days ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

4 days ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

5 days ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

5 days ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

5 days ago
Candidates Spend Big in California Lieutenant Governor Race
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 7 years ago on
May 14, 2018

Share

By SOPHIA BOLLAG

Associated Press
SACRAMENTO  — California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom once joked his job doesn’t involve much governing, but that’s not stopping candidates from shelling out millions of dollars to replace him.

About $10 million has been spent on the race, including nearly $5 million from an independent group funded primarily by one of the candidates’ fathers.
Democrats Eleni Kounalakis, Ed Hernandez and Jeff Bleich lead the pack in raising money heading into the June 5 primary. As of mid-April, the most recent deadline to report spending, their campaigns had spent a combined $3.7 million. Four Republicans are also vying for the job.
Cole Harris won the California Republican Party’s endorsement and has spent about $1.9 million, funded almost entirely by his personal wealth. One other Democrat, two candidates without party affiliation and a libertarian are also on the ballot.
Independent expenditure groups are barred from coordinating with campaigns on messaging. Kounalakis, whose father financed the independent expenditure effort to support her, said her campaign is following the laws.
The California Medical Association is running the group, which is funding television ads.”This is all transparent and, in our current system, this is how campaigns are being funded,” said Kounalakis, a former U.S. ambassador to Hungary under President Barack Obama.
But one ethics expert said it reveals problems in the system.”If it’s her father, do we really believe that they didn’t talk about messaging?” said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor, although she said it doesn’t appear Kounalakis has violated ethics rules.

Job Attracts Politically Ambitious Candidates

The job has always attracted ambitious candidates even though its duties are few. Newsom announced plans to run in 2018 for governor almost immediately after winning re-election as lieutenant governor four years ago. He is the odds-on favorite to win on June 5.
The state’s No. 2 executive is in charge when the governor is away and can use the post to boost his or her name recognition for future statewide campaigns — as Newsom did. The lieutenant governor also casts tie-breaking votes in the state Senate and serves as a University of California regent, a California State University trustee and a state lands commissioner.
“It’s unusual to have so many candidates spending so much money, but Gavin Newsom is kind of the example of what could happen for those who win the position,” said Jaime Regalado, a political science professor emeritus at California State University, Los Angeles. “It can readily serve as a jumping off point for higher office.”
The top fundraisers insist they want the job because they think the lieutenant governor can have a significant impact on higher education and land management issues in California, not because they see the job as simply a stepping stone to higher office.
“It’s a sad statement that becoming the second-highest official in the fifth-largest economy in the world is considered a step down by some people,” said Bleich, a former U.S. ambassador to Australia under Obama and a California State University trustee.
Bleich and his fellow Democratic front-runners mostly agree on policy issues. All three oppose oil drilling off the California coast and want to lower college costs. Each proposes using the post as a megaphone to advocate for issues outside their official duties. Bleich, for example, said he’d expand technical education in California.
He’s raised $2 million, the smallest haul of the three leading Democrats.

Kounalakis Eyes Becoming First Female Lt. Gov

Kounalakis would be the first woman to hold the position. She has emphasized her experience as a housing developer and says she would use the post to advocate for women’s issues.
She has raised $4.5 million, the most of all the candidates, including $2.5 million of her own money.
Hernandez, a state senator and optometrist, has raised nearly $2.8 million. He’s been criticized for accepting money from oil and pharmaceutical companies. Last year, he authored a drug pricing transparency bill opposed by the pharmaceutical industry, which he said proves he’s not beholden to donors.
“Everything I do is what’s in the best interest of my constituents and the state of California,” he said. “I do not have a rich father who’s going to be able to do an independent expenditure on my behalf.”
The top two vote-getters in the primary, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.
Money will be critical in the race because none of the candidates are well-known, said Wesley Hussey, a political science professor at California State University, Sacramento. Some of the candidates have started airing television ads to boost their profile.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if the candidate who has the most time on TV is in the first place out of the primary,” Hussey said.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Executive Order Seeks End to Wind and Solar Energy Subsidies

DON'T MISS

US Threatens California With Legal Action Over Transgender Sports Law

DON'T MISS

US Veterans Affairs Will Cut Nearly 30,000 Jobs, Far Fewer Than Planned

DON'T MISS

Houston Astros Donate $1M to Help Recovery From Texas Floods

DON'T MISS

Tucker Carlson Aired Interview With President of Iran

DON'T MISS

California Fails to Stop 23andMe Founder From Re-Acquiring Company

DON'T MISS

Madera County Multi-Agency Effort Leads to Arrest of Felony Suspect in Atwater

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest DUI Driver During Crackdown on Illegal Street Racing and Sideshows

DON'T MISS

July 4 Weekend Was No Picnic for Fresno-Area Firefighters. How Bad Did It Get?

DON'T MISS

Tulare County Seizes 300 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks Over Fourth of July

UP NEXT

US Threatens California With Legal Action Over Transgender Sports Law

UP NEXT

US Veterans Affairs Will Cut Nearly 30,000 Jobs, Far Fewer Than Planned

UP NEXT

Houston Astros Donate $1M to Help Recovery From Texas Floods

UP NEXT

Tucker Carlson Aired Interview With President of Iran

UP NEXT

California Fails to Stop 23andMe Founder From Re-Acquiring Company

UP NEXT

Madera County Multi-Agency Effort Leads to Arrest of Felony Suspect in Atwater

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest DUI Driver During Crackdown on Illegal Street Racing and Sideshows

UP NEXT

July 4 Weekend Was No Picnic for Fresno-Area Firefighters. How Bad Did It Get?

UP NEXT

Tulare County Seizes 300 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks Over Fourth of July

UP NEXT

US Proposes Rules That Could Boost Oil, Gas Output in US West

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

US Threatens California With Legal Action Over Transgender Sports Law

5 hours ago

US Veterans Affairs Will Cut Nearly 30,000 Jobs, Far Fewer Than Planned

5 hours ago

Houston Astros Donate $1M to Help Recovery From Texas Floods

5 hours ago

Tucker Carlson Aired Interview With President of Iran

5 hours ago

California Fails to Stop 23andMe Founder From Re-Acquiring Company

6 hours ago

Madera County Multi-Agency Effort Leads to Arrest of Felony Suspect in Atwater

6 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest DUI Driver During Crackdown on Illegal Street Racing and Sideshows

6 hours ago

July 4 Weekend Was No Picnic for Fresno-Area Firefighters. How Bad Did It Get?

7 hours ago

Tulare County Seizes 300 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks Over Fourth of July

7 hours ago

US Proposes Rules That Could Boost Oil, Gas Output in US West

8 hours ago

Netanyahu Nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

WASHINGTON – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told President Donald Trump he had nominated him for the Nobel Peace ...

4 hours ago

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on during a bilateral dinner with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured), at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 7, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
4 hours ago

Netanyahu Nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 7, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
4 hours ago

Netanyahu Meets Trump at White House as Israel, Hamas Discuss Ceasefire

A wind farm is shown in Movave, California, U.S., November 8, 2019. (Reuter File)
5 hours ago

Trump Executive Order Seeks End to Wind and Solar Energy Subsidies

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testifies before a Senate Appropriations hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's budget request for the Department of Education, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 3, 2025. (Reuters File)
5 hours ago

US Threatens California With Legal Action Over Transgender Sports Law

United States Department of Veterans Affairs logo and U.S. flag are seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. (Reuters File)
5 hours ago

US Veterans Affairs Will Cut Nearly 30,000 Jobs, Far Fewer Than Planned

A group of search and rescue workers paddle a boat in the Guadalupe River in the aftermath of deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas, U.S., July 7, 2025. (Reuters/Sergio Flores)
5 hours ago

Houston Astros Donate $1M to Help Recovery From Texas Floods

5 hours ago

Tucker Carlson Aired Interview With President of Iran

Attendees visit the 23andMe booth at the RootsTech annual genealogical event in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S., February 28, 2019. (Reuters File)
6 hours ago

California Fails to Stop 23andMe Founder From Re-Acquiring Company

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend