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October 31, 2014 -- Democrats and Republicans are both focused on the competitive race for State Senate in the Central Valley’s District 14. Democrats are hoping to pick up the seat in their efforts to regain a supermajority, while Republicans are trying to hold on to the seat they picked up in a special election in 2013. The Democratic candidate is Luis Chavez, a board member of the Fresno Unified School District. The California Democratic Party has contributed $348,832 to Chavez’s campaign, more than half of his fundraising total. In contrast, the Republican incumbent, Andy Vidak, has received just $48,950 in contributions from his party’s state committee.
Overall, Vidak, a conservative cherry farmer who unsuccessfully ran against U.S. Representative Jim Costa in 2010, has raised $744,000 compared to Chavez’s $639,200. Vidak’s top contributors include prominent business organizations like the California Association of Realtors ($16,400), Associated Builders and Contractors ($13,300), and Chevron ($8,200). Chavez’s top campaign contributors include unions like the Service Employees International Union ($24,600) and the State Building & Construction Trades Council of California ($17,400).
Editor's Note: If you use MapLight data, please cite us. MapLight is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that reveals money's influence on politics.
Methodology: MapLight analysis of campaign contributions to the primary controlled committees associated with candidates on California's November ballot from January 1, 2013 - September 3, 2014. Top contributor figures are based on itemized records, aggregated by employer for individual donors and by affiliate organization for political action committees. Total raised figures are based on summaries submitted by candidate committees in Form 460 reports. All numbers are based on latest data made available by the California Secretary of State as of September 3, 2014.
