In the weeks leading up to the March 5 primary, outside groups have spent more than half a million dollars supporting three of the candidates running to replace Assemblymember Evan Low.
With Low running for Congress, six candidates are vying for the open District 26 seat: Low’s district director and Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board President Patrick Ahrens, Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Tara Sreekrishnan — who also serves as state Sen. Dave Cortese’s deputy chief of staff — Sunnyvale City Councilmember Omar Din, Fremont Union High Schools Foundation Board Member Ashish Garg, certified public accountant Sophie Yan Song and retired pilot Bob Goodwyn. The district includes Cupertino, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and parts of north and west San Jose.
Independent expenditure committees, unlike a candidate’s campaign committee, don’t have a limit to how much money they can accept from donors, however, they aren’t allowed to coordinate with the candidates.
As of Feb. 26, $673,395 in independent expenditures have been spent by unions, corporations and other political action committees to support Ahrens, Sreekrishnan and Din, with $441,559 for Ahrens, $195,959 for Sreekrishnan and $35,877 for Din. The money has been spent on mailing, digital ads and polling, according to campaign filings.
Independent expenditures spent supporting Ahrens include the Uber Innovation Political Action Committee, which has spent nearly $300,000, and Golden State Leadership Fund PAC, which has spent $143,323 and is funded by the California Apartment Association, PG&E and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Caucus Leadership Fund.
Sreekrishnan’s campaign has been critical about the spending supporting Ahrens, sending out emails and texts to voters in the district accusing PG&E of trying to buy an election.
“PG&E and Uber are bankrolling my opponent at levels ordinarily not seen in a primary,” Sreekrishnan said in a statement. “PG&E just announced massive profits on the backs of ratepayers. Now, they are using ratepayer money to bankroll my opponent. Almost $450,000 in a primary election — that’s not ordinary political support, it’s an attempt to buy this seat.”
While more than $600,000 in outside money has been spent on the assembly race, it’s far from the most expensive race in the state. More than $4 million in independent expenditures has been spent in the state Senate District 7 race in the East Bay. Uber alone has spent over $1 million in that race opposing California Labor Federation President Kathryn Lybarger and supporting Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguín.
Ahrens disputed Sreekrishnan’s claims, stating that his “values are not for sale to anyone” and that he’s “committed to doing what’s right for our community.”
“There are independent groups supporting all of the candidates, and we are legally prohibited from communicating or coordinating with them in any way,” he said in a statement. “If you’d like to know why these groups are getting involved, you will have to ask them.”
Five different independent expenditure committees have spent money supporting Sreekrishnan, with $55,000 coming from Fund Her PAC, $50,000 from SEIU California State Council for Working People, $21,000 from PACE of California School Employees Association, $55,000 from Valley Neighbors Together and roughly $15,000 from Families & Teachers United, sponsored by California Charter Schools Association Advocates.
Valley Neighbors Together lists one of its major donors as the American Beverage Association California PAC, according to campaign filings. On Feb. 22, the PAC gave $48,000 to Valley Neighbors Together.
Only one group, Community Voices for Omar Din for Assembly 24, has spent money backing Din to the tune of $35,876.
Melissa Michelson, a political science professor at Menlo College, said that outside money spent on elections often raises concerns for voters about “who the representative is going to represent,” even though these outside groups aren’t allowed to coordinate with candidates.
While the big checks may have the perception of buying influence, Michelson said that’s not always the reality.
“What political science research shows is that corporations and other large donors try to influence government by getting folks who already agree with them elected,” she said. “It’s not that they’re thinking that they’ll get somebody to change their mind on various issues by donating to them, it’s that they’ve already determined this person is more favorable to us so we’re going to try to get them elected.”
Independent expenditures, however, are just a fraction of what is being raised and spent in the Assembly District 26 race. As of Feb. 17, Ahrens, Sreekrishnan and Din have collectively raised more than $1 million for their campaigns.
Din is the top fundraiser, raking in roughly $412,000. He’s also spent the most among the candidates — $359,204 — and had $75,871 in campaign cash as of Feb. 17.
Ahrens has raised the second-most in the race, pulling in $373,476. He’s spent $317,152.24 and had the most campaign cash with $121,852 as of the last filing deadline.
Sreekrishnan has raised $307,410, which includes a $50,000 personal loan. She’s spent the least on the race, reporting $270,785 and has $38,794 in campaign cash.
Garg, Song and Goodwyn either did not report raising any money or had incomplete filings as of deadline.
