Reports filed on funding

Tuesday was deadline for political candidates to submit accounts of 2005 fundraising and spending for campaigns. With the June 6 primary still far away, money has been trickling rather than pouring in to the coffers of local candidates. Tuesday was the deadline for reporting campaign fundraising and spending for 2005.

In the race for the open 35th Senate District seat, Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman out-raised and outspent Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey.

Harman’s report was not available at press time, but Harman campaign consultant Duane Dichiara said it would show $297,000 raised and $39,000 spent in 2005. Harman ended the year with $258,000 cash on hand. He loaned the campaign $60,000.

Harkey and Harman, both Republicans, will vie for the seat in a special primary April 11. The winner will face voters in a general election held in conjunction with the June primary.

Harkey raised $282,000 in 2005 and spent $33,000 on her campaign. She reported ending the year with $272,500 in cash, and she loaned herself $175,000.

Costa Mesa Republican Assemblyman Van Tran raised close to $206,000 and spent about $110,500 last year, his report shows. He ended the year with $56,000 in cash.

When 2005 began, Tran expected to seek reelection to his Assembly seat, but he was tempted this month by a state Senate seat to be left open by termed-out Sen. Joe Dunn.

Tran’s campaign account listed with the secretary of state is for the Assembly seat. Paul Hegyi, Tran’s chief of staff, said after an upcoming Sacramento fundraiser, the money will be transferred to a new account for Tran’s senate campaign.

With Tran and GOP Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher battling in the primary and two Democrats likely to face off as well, the race is expected to be a black hole for campaign funds from both parties.

With Tran not seeking reelection to the 68th Assembly District seat, hopefuls for his seat have begun to emerge. Garden Grove City Councilwoman Janet Nguyen has opened an exploratory committee and has started raising money.

Nguyen’s report showed she collected close to $54,000 by Dec. 31, mainly from businesses in Garden Grove and Westminster. Her campaign had not spent any of the money by the end of the reporting period.

She has since announced that she’s raised more than $100,000.

One potential GOP opponent, Jim Righeimer, first declared his interest in the seat earlier this month and has not filed a report.

Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore’s report showed he raised $140,500 and spent close to $136,000 in 2005. He faces no significant opposition, so far, in the June primary.

In the hottest special election of 2005, newly elected Republican Congressman John Campbell collected more than $1.6 million in contributions and spent about $1.5 million to run for the open U.S. House seat. Campbell loaned $250,000 of his own money to the campaign.

American Independent Party candidate Jim Gilchrist took in $746,000, almost entirely in individual contributions, and his campaign cost nearly $712,000.

Steve Young, the Democratic candidate in the December special election, pulled in nearly $205,000, of which almost $114,000 was a loan from the candidate. His campaign spent $201,000 last year.