Merced County candidates post campaign donations. Check out who has given money
Money is rolling into local elections in Merced, but less so in Atwater.
Merced Mayor Mike Murphy has drawn more than $45,000 in contributions for his campaign for re-election. The business attorney was first elected as mayor in 2016 after serving as a councilmember.
The largest recent contribution was $2,500 from Favier Ranch LLC of Fresno, according to records through Sept. 22.
His opponent this time around is Monica Kay Villa, a homeless woman and advocate for the homeless. She has filed paperwork signaling her intention to neither accept nor spend more than $2,000 in her campaign.
In Atwater, Mayor Jim Price’s re-election effort has pulled down more than $2,400, according to records filed through Sept. 10. That includes a $600 loan he gave to the campaign through the company he co-owns, Gemini Flight Support, and a donation of $546 worth of food for an event contributed by resident Linda Dash.
Mayoral candidate Paul Creighton, who currently sits on the council, got more than $14,000 from donors, records show. Brad Kessler, owner of Uncle Buck’s Blazin’ BBQ and Catering, gave $1,000. Developer and former Councilmember Craig Mooneyham gave $1,090.
Seeking a second term on the Merced City Council, Merced County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kevin Blake has raised more than $20,000, records show. Donations of $2,500 each came from AAA Truck Wash LLC of Merced, Impact Consulting LLC of Chandler, Arizona, and Benchmark Engineering Inc. of Modesto.
Facing Blake in the District 4 race is newcomer Karla A. Seijas, a UC Merced employee who described herself in campaign filings as an educator and veterans advocate. She has garnered $2,900 through 15 donations of $250 or less, according to records.
Merced District 2 has a single candidate who filed in Fernando Echevarria, who described himself as an advocate. He’s raised $200. Another resident, Ronnie De Anda, has announced his intent to run as a write-in candidate but hasn’t filed the paperwork, according to the Merced County Registrar’s Office.
Delray Shelton, a sheriff’s sergeant running for District 6, has raised $8,771, according to records. More than $5,000 of that was a loan he made to the campaign. A filing for Buhach Colony Teacher John Bliss said he’s raised about $3,500, including a $1,000 contribution from Merced business owner Scott Neal.
Atwater Councilmember Brian Raymond is seeking another term in newly established District 4, and has almost $14,000 in contributions, records show. His largest recent donation was $1,000 from Ygrene Energy Fund of Petaluma.
Campaign contribution records were not immediately available for his opponent, Don Hyler. Neither were records for District 2 newcomers Danny Ambriz, who works in technical support, and Dan Hernandez, a retired maintenance splicer who ran an unsuccessful campaign two years ago.
This story was originally published October 5, 2018 at 10:26 AM.