Two of California’s top statewide elected officials didn’t waste much time refueling

Two of California’s top statewide elected officials didn’t waste much time refueling their campaign accounts for bids in 2014 – and possibly beyond – in their first six months on the job.

Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Kamala Harris both boosted their campaign coffers by six figures in the first half of the year, according to reports filed by Monday’s semi-annual filing deadline.

The figures posted by both Bay Area Democrats far exceeded the $45,000 raised by Gov. Jerry Brown, providing fodder for speculation that one or both could run for the state’s top office if the 73-year-old Democrat decides not to run for another term.

“Anybody who’s not the governor has future political aspirations,” Democratic consultant Steve Maviglio said.

Newsom, former mayor of San Francisco, dropped out of the gubernatorial race in late 2009 and is widely expected to contend for the seat in 2014 if Brown doesn’t run.

But Newsom adviser Peter Ragone said in a statement that the funds the lieutenant governor raised between Jan. 1 and June 30 – more than $295,000 – is “money to keep his office in 2014.”

Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney, raised roughly $105,000 in the first six months of the year. Harris, whose consultant also dismissed chatter that she and Newsom could compete for Brown’s job, ended the period with just $40,657 in the bank due in part to legal fees from the prolonged vote count in her narrow 2010 victory.

Democratic consultant Bill Carrick said that while he expects Brown to run for another term, large campaign reserves could help officeholders like Harris and Newsom run strong re-election campaigns that build a foundation for future runs for other statewide posts.

“It’s not too early to start the fundraising because it’s just such a laborious task and it just takes so much work,” Carrick said. “I think anybody who’s planning on running next time, either for higher office or the same office or another office, they have to get going on it.”

Several statewide offices will be up for grabs due to term limits in 2014, prompting campaign committee musical chairs for some current officeholders.

Controller John Chiang raised $5,000 for a new fund to run for treasurer, while current Treasurer Bill Lockyer has opened an account to use his multimillion dollar war chest for a bid for Chiang’s post.

Some politicians are collecting cash for campaigns even further down the road. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg banked $283,708 for an account he created to run for lieutenant governor in 2018. The Sacramento Democrat isn’t the only legislator raising money for 2018. Sen. Tom Berryhill, R-Oakdale, has also opened an account to run for lieutenant governor, and Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, has an active attorney general fund.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/08/02/3810023/gavin-newsom-kamala-harris-rake.html#ixzz1USno04qk