[ad_1]
Democrats running for governor of California have worked to beat powerful donors and interest groups who can help them squeal through competitive primary elections in the spring and summer.
But the candidates, and many deep Democrats, are still waiting for a decision to have the biggest impact on the race, whether former vice president Kamala Harris is running.
Since Harris lost to President Trump in November, the competition to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom has paused animations that are trying to plan a campaign without knowing who their biggest opponent is. Some have made emergency plans to run for other offices. And some major donors are waiting to write a big check.
Tony Thurmond, the head of public leadership who launched the governor’s campaign in 2023, said:
Race Democrats are talking to many of the same potential donors, Thurmond said, and most have the same question: “Does she run?” The only answer, according to Thurmond, is the unsatisfied answer. “We don’t know.”
Since leaving Washington in January, Harris has mostly left the public eye and has settled in Brentwood’s home with her husband Doug Emov, talking to close friends and confidants about what she should do next. She is considering whether to leave politics, run for governor, or run for president for the third time. She is expected to decide on the governor’s race by the end of the summer.
The Democrat, who is already running for the governor, lacks Harris’ star power, and her entry could overturn race. But the former vice president will also face questions about the 107-day sprint to the White House, what he knew about President Biden’s decline, and whether running twice for the president really wants to be California’s governor.
“She sees her well, where she’s the perfect place to put her energy, focus and time,” said Debbie Mesro, a longtime Harris Alley.
A few reveals Harris did this year – Meeting with Altadena firefighters, attending high school graduation in Compton, and the leading role in the Bay Area Democratic National Committee fundraiser was feed for people trying to read tea leaves. What does Harris mean by skipping the State Democratic treaty? Did Emov do education at USC?
Harris originally planned to take a two-week holiday at the end of this month, but according to anyone familiar with her plans, she canceled her trip.
Harris is also a member of New York, where he participated in Broadway theatre and exclusive Met Gala. In San Francisco, she dined with Nie Mina at Shaji, a high-end Japanese restaurant. In Los Angeles, he shopes grocery stores at Westwood’s 99 ranch markets and Brentwood Farmers Market.
As the months go by, several governor’s campaigns are beginning to believe that Harris’ victory feels more like a decent conclusion than he would have announced in January after his retirement.
Former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigoza, former Biden Cabinet of The Xavier Becerra and former U.S. Congressman Irvine Porter say they will stay in the race no matter what.
San Diego veteran state senator Toni Atkins said he would stay if Harris was running, saying “our campaign is moving forward at full speed while the vice president is on her own path.”
Former state controller Betty Yi said in an interview this week that even if Harris runs, she is still there too.
“No, no, no, no,” Yee said. As governor, she said, “It’s something I feel ready to do. I stay in the race and really leaned towards the financial and financial background.”
Yee said when she spoke to the donor they wanted to know two things.
Dan Newman, a political strategist who worked for Newsom, Harris and some of the governor candidates, said the race was at a strange inflection point. “I don’t know who the potential voters are.
“They have good excuses to not give, because even if they’re a big fan of the candidates who are currently racing, they don’t know if the candidates will stay in the race,” Newman said. “And then there’s someone else you don’t want to give to someone who might oppose her.”
Eric Jay, a political strategist who previously worked for Villaraigosa’s 2018 governor’s campaign and advised Newsom when he was mayor of San Francisco, said he was hearing “frustration” from donors ready to speed up the race.
“They don’t think they’ll wait that long,” Jay said. “There will be donors who say, ‘We have to go, we’re not going to wait for you.’ ”
But even if Harris comes in, there’s no guarantee that donors will back her back again, including those who are angry at spending nearly $1.5 billion in campaign funds in the 2024 White House compression campaign.
“The money is very upset with her,” said Stephen Crubeck, a businessman and Democratic donor running for California governor. “They’re my friends. I’m part of that money. Everyone is completely caught up in it.”
The amount that a candidate raises is one way to measure support and a prospect. However, the picture remains a bit vague until July 31st, as the governor candidate reports the fate of fundraising from the first half of the year.
Becerra is the only candidate to release numbers so far, and he said he raised $2.4 million since joining the race in early April. Becerra’s campaign has a $2 million campaign, including the largest contributions allowed by law ($39,200) from the politically connected Agua Caliente Band of Indians.
The campaign must report a donation of more than $5,000 immediately after receiving it. These numbers do not represent full funding, but can show the trajectory of the campaign.
Three of the eight candidates have raised under $100,000 in chunks of more than $5,000 at a time this year, state data shows. Yee reported $71,900 and Thurmond, $32,500.
Gov. Eleni Kounalakis reported that he raised $70,000 from Google, including $5,000. According to her campaign, Kounalakis, who has raised money since joining the race in April 2023, has earned $9 million.
“I want to make it clear that I’m going to win this race,” Kunarakis said.
Villaraigosa, who raced last summer, raised nearly $1 million this year through a massive donation, data shows. Atkins reported about $381,000 this year, Cloobeck and about $132,000.
According to state data, Porter, who took part in the race in March, reported nearly $475,000 in a larger donation. She also transferred $942,000 from her US Senate account to the governor’s account, according to a federal filing published Tuesday.
[ad_2]Source link
