The latest campaign finance reports show the Tucson-area congressional race in a swing district, Congressional District 6, continues to attract large amounts of money.
Democratic challenger and former state lawmaker Kirsten Engel outraised Republican incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani in the short October window covered by the reports. Reports for federal posts span Oct. 1 through Oct. 16 and had to be filed by Oct. 24.
Engel raised $516,069, spent nearly $1.7 million , and closed the period with more than $1.3 million on hand.
The separate Kirsten Engel Victory Fund raised over $48,580 and spent over $33,278, closing the period with $23,892 available.
Ciscomani raised $348,721, spent $965,016 and closed the period with more than $1.2 million on hand.
The separate Ciscomani Victory Fund raised $103,918, spent $161,213 and closed the period with nearly $30,000 available.
In heavily Democratic Congressional District 7, Democratic incumbent Rep. Rául Grijalva brought in a smaller amount within this window than Republican challenger Daniel Butierez, but Grijalva has outraised his opponent throughout the election cycle.
Grijalva’s congressional committee raised $13,837 and spent $34,742 in the short window, but closed it out with more than $400,000 on-hand.
Butierez raised $15,280, spent $11,936, and ended the period with $5,945 available.
For Pima County and Arizona candidates, meanwhile, the pre-general election reporting period for campaign finances covers Oct. 1 through Oct. 19. Candidates had to have those reports in by Oct. 26.
In Pima County, all five Board of Supervisors seats and county attorney, sheriff, assessor and recorder are on the Nov. 5. ballot.
Arizona Legislature
The most closely watched races in the Tucson area are in Legislative District 17, which spans East Tucson, Marana and Oro Valley.
For the House, Republican incumbent Reps. Cory McGarr and Rachel Jones face Democratic challenger Kevin Volk. The House holds a slight Republican majority of 31-29.
Volk was the fundraising leader in the 19-day reporting period, with $18,918 saved; $49,297 raised; $21,835 spent; and $46,380 on hand.
McGarr: $53,537 saved; raised $15,837; spent $31,556; $37,819 on hand to close the period.
Jones: $41,596 saved; raised $11,882; spent $25,895; closed the period with $27,583.
For the Senate in District 17, Democratic challenger John McLean is up against Republican former state senator Vince Leach. The Senate has a 16-14 GOP edge.
McLean: $75,547 saved entering October; raised $62,088 and spent over $118,000; closed the period with over $19,000.
Leach: More than $136,000 saved entering October; raised $42,185 and spent nearly $99,000; $79,306 on hand as of Oct. 20.
Sheriff
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, a Democrat, is challenged by GOP candidate Heather Lappin, a lieutenant within the department who works at the Pima County jail.
Nanos’ campaign entered October with $7,801 on hand, and spent $4,893 of it. His campaign raised $550 in the 19-day reporting period. But the previous third quarter report shows Nanos raised more than $48,000 for his re-election bid, including $40,000 via a loan from Nanos to his own campaign. Since January, through Oct. 19, Nanos’ campaign had raised over $78,000 and spent over $77,000.
Lappin’s campaign entered October with more than $24,000 and doubled that amount through the reporting period. Notably, $2,500 of the more than $24,000 raised came from Tucson auto dealer Jim Click on Oct. 18. HSL Properties President Omar Mireles gave $2,500 and local developer Humberto Lopez gave the campaign $1,000, which brings the total Lopez has given to Lappin’s bid to $3,000.
Since organizing in October 2023, Lappin’s campaign fundraising has outpaced Nanos’ with more than $113,000 raised and over $86,000 spent.
Board of Supervisors
District 1:
Democratic incumbent Rex Scott walloped Republican challenger Steve Spain in the 19-day fundraising period.
Scott entered October with more than $79,000 and tacked on another $13,432, $8,000 of which came from PACs, according to his report. Since the campaign organized in August 2023, it has raised over $182,000 and spent over $167,000.
Spain came into October with nearly $30,000 saved and raised another $1,603, his report shows. His campaign spent $24,352 and had more than $7,000 on Oct. 20. Since Spain’s campaign organized in January, it has raised a little over $108,000 while spending nearly $101,000.
District 2:
Democratic incumbent Matt Heinz came into October with more than $19,000 on hand and raised an additional $7,110 through the 19-day period, his report shows. Heinz’s campaign reported spending nothing in that period.
His Republican challenger, John Backer, started October with $4,948 and raised an additional $310, of which all but $10 came from the candidate, his report shows. Backer spent $5,235 in the reporting period.
District 3:
Three candidates are vying for the open seat; Supervisor Sylvia Lee was appointed to the post and is not running in the election.
Democrat Jennifer “Jen” Allen entered October with over $26,000. She raised an additional $24,000 − $10,750 of which came from PACs, including $6,650 from the “California Nurses Association PAC” and $3,000 from the “Jane Fonda Climate PAC.” Allen’s campaign spent $20,000, her report shows.
Allen is the fundraising leader among all county candidates; since organizing in November 2023, her campaign has raised more than $217,000 and spent over $187,000.
She faces two challengers: GOP candidate Janet “JL” Wittenbraker and Iman-Utopia Layjou Bah, an independent.
As of Tuesday, Wittenbraker had not filed a pre-general campaign finance report. Through September, her campaign raised $31,714 and spent $29,196 in total, previous reports show.
Bah entered October with $84. He raised $470 — all but $70 came from out of his pocket — and spent $315, his report shows.
District 4:
Incumbent Steve Christy is the sole Republican on the board. His campaign entered October with over $58,000 but did not raise or spend any additional money, his report shows. Since organizing in January, Christy’s re-election campaign has raised over $134,000 and spent $77,000.
Democratic challenger Vanessa Bechtol has kept pace in fundraising this year. According to her report, Bechtol’s campaign entered October with $52,669, raised an additional $12,107 and spent $54,483. Since organizing in March, Bechtol’s campaign has raised nearly $116,000 and spent over $105,000.
District 5:
Democratic incumbent and board chair Adelita Grijalva continued to expand her fundraising lead against independent candidate Val Romero, who currently sits on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board.
Grijalva’s report shows she entered October with nearly $40,000 on hand; raised more than $2,500 − $500 from the “Something Better Beginning” PAC and $1,000 from the Tohono O’odham Nation — and spent $15,587. Since organizing in January, the campaign has raised over $45,000 and spent over $25,000.
Romero entered October with $2,212, raised an additional $285 and spent $175, according to his report. Since organizing in April, his campaign has raised $8,754 and spent $6,432.
Treasurer
Two candidates are vying for the Pima County treasurer post: Republican Chris Ackerley, who was appointed by the board after then-treasurer Beth Ford resigned earlier this year, and Democrat Brian Johnson, who worked in the Pima County Assessor’s Office for nine years.
Ackerley entered October with $7,731, raised nearly $3,000 and spent $7,205, according to his report. Since organizing in July, his campaign has raised over $18,000 and spent $14,663.
Johnson entered October with $5,052 and raised an additional $286, according to his report. He spent $1,952 and ended the period with $3,386. Since organizing in November 2023, his campaign has raised $11,641 and spent $8,254.
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