WEST COUNTY RACES : Incumbents in Cities, Districts Outpace Challengers in Funds

Incumbent candidates in west Ventura County’s largest cities and school districts continued to outpace challengers in fund-raising, financial statements filed Thursday show.

In Oxnard, Councilman Tom Holden has raised $31,897, more than any of the other 10 candidates vying for two council seats, according to his latest campaign disclosure statement. A letter-writing campaign asking voters to contribute $25 or more has paid off, he said.

“We have done letter campaigns which have been very successful,” Holden said. “Our contributions show that we have a broad base of support.”

Holden said he is spending the majority of the money mailing brochures to Oxnard voters.

Oxnard council challenger John C. Zaragoza, a former city solid waste superintendent, has raised the second-largest amount in the race with $22,556. He has spent $19,600 to date, mostly on newspaper and television advertising.

Dean Maulhardt, a former grower, almost doubled his campaign fund in the filing period from Oct. 1 to 22, raising $10,630 for total of $22,288. Much of Maulhardt’s funding has come agricultural businesses and from farmers such as the McGrath family, which contributed $600.

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In Camarillo, where six candidates are competing for three City Council seats, four-term incumbent Stanley J. Daily is leading fund-raising efforts, netting $6,195.

Daily was followed by two-term councilwoman Charlotte Craven, who has raised $5,218, and Mayor Ken Gose, who has $3,466 in his campaign coffers. Richard Lundberg led the challengers with $2,405.

Oxnard Union High School Trustee Jean Daily-Underwood, first elected to the board 20 years ago, has $11,585 in contributions, continuing to outpace school board candidates across the county in fund-raising.

Challenger Robert Q. Valles, a businessman and a personnel officer at the Port Hueneme Navy base, has raised $8,204. Six candidates are running for three seats on the school board.

In Ojai, where seven candidates vying for three open seats, challenger Suza Francina, a yoga teacher and health columnist, was the only person to raise more than $2,000, with $2,060. Incumbent Nina Shelley has received $1,774, and the other candidates have each raised less than $1,000.

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In Port Hueneme, where three longtime councilmen decided not to defend their seats, only five of the 14 candidates raised more than $2,000.

Robert Turner, a dentist, maintained his fund-raising lead with $5,421, mostly from members of a regional dental organization. Frank McElfish raised $3,548 and and Anthony Volante raised $2,975.

In Santa Paula, where eight candidates are running for three council seats, law clerk Laura Espinosa leads the pack with more than $5,000 in contributions, surpassing newspaper publisher Don Johnson, who raised nearly $4,000. Incumbent Mayor Wayne Johnson has received about $2,100.

In the crowded Oxnard Harbor District race, where 11 candidates are running for three seats, challenger Jess Herrera led the field with $7,539.

Herrera, chief administrator of Local 46 of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union, received $1,000 from his employer.

Challenger Oras Racicot raised $6,639, followed by Irma Lopez with $6,200 and Bill Hill with $4,937.

In Fillmore, the three candidates for two open council seats--challenger Evaristo Barajas and incumbents Linda Brewster and Don Gunderson--reported spending less than $1,000.

Times staff writer Christina Lima and correspondents Maia Davis, Julie Fields, Jeff McDonald, Jeff Mitchell contributed to this report.