A milestone in the District 1 City Council race has arrived, with candidates reporting their 2025 fundraising and spending totals to the City Ethics Commission.
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This is the money that incumbent Eunisses Hernandez and eight challengers will use on campaign consultants, mailers, social media, etc. as the June 2 election approaches.
The contributors range from a Pilates instructor and a judge to ex-City Councilmember Kevin de León.
Here’s where five candidates stand (five others had not posted figures by Monday at 5 p.m.):
Total Contributions: 367 for $134,711Expenditures: $38,035Cash on Hand: $97,426The youth services veteran and former member of the Police Commission had the strongest fundraising period among the challengers, scoring 61 maximum contributions of $1,000, along with hundreds of smaller donations. The roster shows a wide swath of donors—students, teachers, real estate professionals, etc. Calanche leads the field in cash on hand.
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Total Contributions: 220 for $60,813Expenditures: $51,672Cash on Hand: $14,106The former Red Cross executive raised $25,889 in the July 1-Dec. 31 period, and to date has 19 maximum donations. Donors in the recent period include a number of Chinatown stakeholders, the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles, a pilates instructor and a roofer.
Total Contributions: 120 for $38,118Expenditures: $13,982Cash on Hand: $24,137The Highland Park resident, business owner and first-time candidate has 10 maximum contributions; five are from people with the surname Gerlach (a sixth Gerlach gave $999.27). Grande counts donations from several Highland Park businesses, and former District 14 councilmember Kevin de León gave $103.
Total Contributions: 708 for $213,727Expenditures: $125,017Cash on Hand: $90,173The incumbent outpaced the field and netted $139,118 via 494 donations in the recent period. To date she boasts 85 maximum contributions—including from numerous unions—along with hundreds of small gives. The roster includes more than 50 donations from people in the legal field, including one judge. Hernandez has spent a sizable $125,000.
Total Contributions: 82 for $67,345Expenditures: $22,776Cash on Hand: $45,444The former aide to three different councilmembers pulled in $19,013 in the recent period, with people listed as “retired” accounting for 23 of her 43 contributions in the timeframe. Robledo’s war chest includes $43,000 that she loaned her campaign.
Jon Regardie is a veteran Los Angeles reporter, editor and columnist. @JonRegardie
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