Seems that the electronic filing deadline for Election 2008 CA 80th Assembly District came and went without me making any comment on the results.  Well, whether you like it or not here comes my late bloomer blogging about the March 24, 2008, filing.

Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-Tem of Cathedral City and Democratic candidate for the 80th AD lead all Democratic and Republican opponents in this filing.  Pettis raised $54,980.43 during this filing period, spent $52,371.86, and has $31,062.71 cash on hand.

Gary Jeandron, boardmember of the Palm Springs Unified School District and presumptive Republican candidate for the 80th AD raised $38,093, spent $39,754.34, and has $148,039.3 on hand campaign monies.

More below the flip…

Manuel Perez, Vice-President of the Coachella Valley Unified School District and Democratic candidate for the 80th AD raised $18,334, spent $22,788.90, and has $31,541.74 cash on hand.

Rick Gonzalez, Wells Fargo Community Development Corp. employee, raised $17,047.93, spent $16,317.41, and has $32,403.63 in available cash.

Richard Guttierrez, dentist, did not file.  Only candidates raising or spending $50,000 or more or who received a $5,000 donation are required to file electronically.  This means that Guttierrez raised less than $50,000, spent less than $50,000, and did not receive any donation in the amount of $5,000 or greater.

Overall, Pettis far-and-away outraised his Democratic and presumptive Republican opposition.  In fact, Pettis seems to have raised more money than his three Democratic challengers combined.  Pettis also outspent his three Democratic rivals combined according to the electronic filing.  Regarding cash on hand, though, each of the three Democratic campaigns have approximately the same funds in current accounts, though Perez at this rate is spending more each month than he is collecting in donations.

Even more interesting is the fact the Pettis outraised Jeandron in this reporting cycle.  In fact, Pettis raised fifty percent more campaign funds than did Jeandron.  Jeandron still has a much better campaign war chest as we head towards November.  In fact, observers have noted that Jeandron has begun to spend advertising monies on AirAmerica, a progressive talk radio station, that airs in the Coachella Valley on a local station.

At least in this reporting period, the donations in the Coachella Valley are mimicking those on the National level where Democrats are outraising and outspending the Republicans.  The difference is that on the National level, Democrats also have a huge campaign war chest.

XPosted 4/6/2008 10:15 AM PDT on MyDesert.com

Yesterday, Democrats of the Desert had its annual awards banquet to honor Life-Time Achievement Awardee Sonja Marchand and Activist of the Year Rosalie Zwain at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage.  Speakers included Stephanie Miller and Jim Ward, “Stars of Progressive Talk Radio” at AirAmerica.

Democratic officeholders in attendance included Greg Pettis, Mayor Pro-tem of Cathedral City and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, Paul Marchand, Cathedral City City Councilman, Pat Hammers, Cathedral City Clerk, Ron Oden, former-Mayor of Palm Springs, Rick Hutcheson, Palm Springs City Council, Shari Stewart, Board President, and Justin Blake Board Member of the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Rob Simmons, Palm Springs Airport Commission.

Attending Democratic candidates included Julie Bornstein, Candidate for the 45th Congressional District, Pettis, Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, Rick Gonzalez, Candidate for the CA 80th Assembly District, Paul Marchand, Candidate for Mayor of Cathedral City, Greg Rodriguez, Candidate for the Board of the Palm Springs Unified School District, and Kira Klatchko, former-candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District.  Amalia Deaztlan, campaign manager for the Victor Manuel Perez for the 80th Assembly, also attended.  

Union activists in attendance that I recognized included Chuck McDaniel, IBEW Local 440, Juan Carlos Sanchez, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, and others.

Many Coachella Valley Democratic Party activists were also in attendance, including Elle Kurpiewski, Chair, Beth Caskie, Vice President Programs and reknowned blogger, and Carole Sumner Krechman, Vice President & Chair Fund Raising, Chris Escobedo, Vice President – Political Action, each of the Democrats of the Desert, Chuck McDaniel, Co-Chair of the Desert Hot Springs Democrats, George Zander, Chair and blogger, Bob Silverman, Treasurer, James Reynolds, Esq., Secretary of the Desert Stonewall Democrats, Desert Stonewall Democrats Steering Committee members Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Richard Oberhaus, and Simmons, Sandy Eldridge and David Pye, Co-Chairs of the Palm Springs Democratic Club, and Jackie Atwood, President, Betty McMillan, 1st Vice President, Robert Atwood, Treasurer, each of the Pass Democratic Club.

Sonja Marchand was accompanied by her husband, Robert, and her son, Paul.  She rendered a stirring speech about Democratic activism, the failures of the Bush Administration over the past seven years including the ‘massive mess in Mesopotamia,’ and the need for Democratic Party unity this coming November (sorry for mangling the alliteration, but that was what I could recall early this a.m.).

Of local mydesert.com readership interest, it seems that the identity of the people behind the Pettis files will soon be known.  The blogger and/or his financial backing had taken out advertisements in the media which require campaign finance reporting.  As a result, the identities should be known shortly.  The noose tightens and scandal is abrewing!