As Long Beach’s April 13 citywide primary election draws closer, most candidates are wrapping up their campaigns and intensifying their efforts to get every possible vote. Several candidates and their campaign volunteers are going door to door to personally ask residents to vote for them, and some candidates are sending weekly mailers to garner support from their potential constituents.
One candidate, however, has announced his withdrawal from the race. Dan Pressburg, a candidate for the 9th District City Council race recently announced that he is no longer running. Pressburg, who had been walking with a definite limp for several months, said a blood clot had formed in his right leg, exacerbating another medical condition and preventing him from attending candidate forums.
“I will be under a doctor’s care and treatment over the next year and that could affect the performance of duties should I be elected,” he said in a press release. He added that he is not currently supporting any of the other candidates, but is instead focusing all his energy on restoring his health.
Although Pressburg has been a community activist for many years and is well known throughout the city, his campaign committee did not raise much money for his coffers. In his most recent statement filed with the Long Beach City Clerk’s office, Pressburg listed $690 in total contributions and a loan of $800.
Those figures contrast sharply with the total of $47,551 cash contributions and $3,501 in non-monetary contributions reported by incumbent 9th District City Councilman Val Lerch.
Lerch is seeking a third four-year term in office, and, according to the city’s term-limits law, since he has already served two terms, he can only run as a write-in candidate.
One of Lerch’s opponents, Steve Neal, reported a total of $18,650 in campaign contributions. The other 9th District candidate, Brad Shore, reported: $7,987 in cash contributions; a $1,000 loan; and $4,682 in non-monetary contributions.
In the 7th Council District race, candidate James Johnson has raised more money than all the other three candidates combined. In his most recent statement filed with the city clerk’s office, Johnson reported a total of $86,194 in cash contributions and $213 in non-monetary contributions.
Incumbent 7th District Councilwoman Tonia Reyes-Uranga reported $35,750 in cash contributions and no non-monetary contributions. Like Lerch, Reyes-Uranga is seeking a third term in office and must run as a write-in candidate.
Jill Hill has reported $4,661 in cash contributions and $5,000 in loans. Jack Smith has reported $4,300 in cash contributions.
Another write-in candidate, Fernando Bernabe, recently joined the fray of those running for the 7th District City Council seat. The amount of contributions for his campaign were not available by press time.
In the race for city attorney, incumbent Bob Shannon has reported $51,040 in cash contributions and $15,000 in loans. His opponent, Tom Reeves, who is currently the city prosecutor, reported $3,800 in cash contributions and $10,000 in loans.
In the race for city prosecutor, Doug Haubert has reported $49,815 in cash contributions and $15,000 in loans. His opponent, Timothy O’Reilly, who is currently the assistant city prosecutor, has reported $10,600 in cash contributions and $15,000 in loans.
Mayor Bob Foster, who is seeking a second term in office, has reported a total of $296,998 in cash contributions. His opponent, Stevie Danielle Merino, did not establish an election committee and consequently was not required to list campaign contributions with the city clerk’s office.
“We will be raising less than $1,000 and spending less than $1,000,” said Doug Kauffman, Merino’s campaign manager. “A campaign should be run on the merits of a candidate and their ideas on how to meet the needs of the people, not on their ability to raise campaign contributions.”
The only other citywide candidate is incumbent City Auditor Laura Doud. She is seeking a second term in office and has not established an election committee.
Information on campaign contributions received by candidates for the 1st, 3rd and 5th City Council Districts is available in the Long Beach City Clerk’s office at City Hall or at longbeach.gov/cityclerk/default.asp.
