Gallegly Treasury Dwarfs Funds Raised by Democratic Rival

At least in the fund-raising arena, Dan Gonzalez is right: His challenge to Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) truly is a “David and Goliath battle.” Third-quarter campaign filings for the 23rd District congressional race list Gallegly as having raised $101,000, bringing his bank balance to more than $612,000; Gonzalez says he has raised $80,000.

In disclosure forms filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission, Republican incumbent Gallegly reports that his campaign took in more than $101,000 between July 1 and Sept. 30.

Gonzalez, the Democratic nominee and a Simi Valley attorney, said his campaign has raised $80,000 and expects to double that in the remaining 18 days before the Nov. 3 election.

Gonzalez said Friday that his treasurer had faxed his campaign’s quarterly report to the FEC by its Thursday deadline, but neither he nor his campaign could provide a copy of the document. He said earlier in the week that he expects his “grass-roots” campaign to cost $175,000 to $180,000.

Gallegly declined to say how much he would spend in his pursuit of a seventh term. Gallegly, a real estate broker and former Simi Valley mayor, was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1986.

Gallegly’s major donations in the last three months include $2,500 from National PAC, a bipartisan group that lobbies for policies favoring Israel, and $2,000 from Americans for Free International Trade.

He received $1,000 contributions from a trade group representing Realtors, the International Council of Cruise Lines, the Assn. of General Contractors and the National League of Postmasters. Several individuals also donated $1,000 toward Gallegly’s reelection.

Gallegly has spent almost $40,000 to run his campaign since July.

In an interview earlier this week, Gallegly lamented that last-minute budget business kept him in Washington and forced him to cancel several local fund-raisers.

Despite having an overwhelming funding advantage and being favored to win Nov. 3, Gallegly added, “I run as though this is the most important race in my life.”

The 23rd District covers most of Ventura County. Portions of the eastern county, including Thousand Oaks, lie in the 24th District.

In that race, Democratic incumbent Brad Sherman reports having $471,000 on hand, with his campaign having taken in $272,000 since July 1--$120,000 more than it spent.

Republican challenger Randy Hoffman has raised almost $215,000 since July 1, but his campaign spent almost $360,000 in that same period. Hoffman’s campaign reports having about $180,000 on hand as of Sept. 30.