Hale takes lead in fundraising in Assembly race

Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale, a candidate for the state Assembly.

BY EMILY MIBACH
Daily Post Staff Writer

Redwood City Mayor Giselle Hale has a steady lead on fundraising in the seven-way race for Assemblyman Kevin Mullin’s seat in Sacramento.

Hale is running against San Mateo Councilwoman Diane Papan, South San Francisco Councilman James Coleman, San Mateo County Community College Board member Maurice Goodman, Redwood City attorney Alison Madden, Redwood City resident Tania Sole and Redwood City Republican Mark Gilham.

The top two vote-getters in the June 7 primary will vie in the November election. Mullin has to give up his seat because he is running to replace Rep. Jackie Speier in Congress.

The newly named Assembly District 21 spans from South San Francisco to East Palo Alto.

Giselle Hale has raised $557,167 between last year and the first three months of this year, bringing in $339,667 this year. Donors span from current assembly members to local elected officials, residents of the district, unions and tech CEOs.

Those contributing the maximum $4,900 to her campaign include Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, San Francisco tech advistor Jeffrey Barrett, San Francisco resident Matthew Bell, Palo Alto resident Owen Byrd, California YIMBY Fund, Los Altos resident Julie Chai, Burlingame Meta employee Stan Chudnovsky, retired San Francisco resident Chad Dyer, Los Gatos resident Cipora Herman, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 617, Portola Valley Meta employee Robert Jin, Menlo Park developer Lane Partners, Atherton Quora employee Elizabeth Laraki, South San Francisco CEO Frank Lee, Los Altos resident George Lee, Assemblywoman Luz Rivas, D-San Fernando, Atherton resident David Marcus, National Union of Healthcare Workers Committee, San Francisco resident Olaoluwa Okelola, Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 467, Cupertino DoorDash employee Gokul Rajaram, Los Altos resident Kirthiga Reddy, Palo Alto Meta employee David Reiss, San Francisco resident Zachary Rosen, Scarsdale, N.Y., resident Eugenie Rosenthal, San Francisco engineer Kenneth Russell, San Francisco Laborer’s Local 261, Redwood City resident Rajat Shroff, Sprinkler Fitters Local 483, Assemblywoman Tasha Boerner Horvath, D-Carlsbad, Menlo Park resident Amber Tennant, Atherton resident and Meta CFO David Wehner and San Francisco resident John Wolthuis.

Hale has been on Redwood City Council for four years, and before that was on the city’s Planning Commission. She has worked for Facebook and Cisco. She worked in President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and was Rep. Anna Eshoo’s 2008 campaign as campaign manager.

Diane Papan has a total war chest of $388,638, bringing in $261,567 so far this year. Her donors include high-powered attorney Joe Cotchett, local developers and property holders, residents of the district, unions and local elected officials.

Those who have contributed the maximum $4,900 to her campaign include: Burlingame attorney Joe Cotchett, Anheuser Busch Companies, San Mateo resident Scott Bohannon, California Apartment Association PAC, Assemblyman Carlos Villapudua, D-Stockton, lawyer firm Corey, Luzaich, De Ghetaldi and Riddle LLP, the David D. Bohannon Organization, San Mateo resident Steve Doukas, Kenneth Lawerence Fisher of Fisher Investments, which has an office in San Mateo; Future PAC, Geary Terraces North LLC of Millbrae, Housing Contractors of California, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 617, Sacramento resident Sotiris Kolokotronis, Millbrae insurance agent Alice Yan-Ping Kuang, Millbrae resident Michael Kuang, Aptos resident Alexandria Marcus, Marcus + Millichap chairman George Marcus of Palo Alto, Palo Alto resident Judith Marcus, Burlingame attorney Nancy Nishimura, Operating Engineers Local 3, Los Angeles resident Anna Ortiz-Morfit, Plumbers ad Steamfitters Local 467, former political consultant Clint Reilly, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 and Viejas Tribal Government.

Papan has been on the San Mateo City Council since 2015. She is an attorney and director of John’s Closet, a nonprofit that provides new clothes, scholarships and other essentials to over 15,000 students.

James Coleman has raised $162,195 during his campaign, bringing in $111,732 so far this year.

His donors include a $1,000 contribution to himself, unions, residents and Democratic Socialists including a $1,000 donation from San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston.

Those who have contributed the maximum $4,900 to his campaign include: San Carlos resident Cathy Bierman, Oakland resident Mary Delaney, Equality California PAC, San Jose teacher Jean Furgerson, Menlo Park resident Karen Grove, Hillsborough resident Dhruv Hemmady, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 617, Mountain View data scientist John Lashlee, Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 467 and Los Angeles resident Elizabeth Thomas.

Coleman said he is not accepting corporate donations. He became the city’s youngest and first openly LGBTQ member of South San Francisco’s city council when he was elected in 2020.

Redwood City resident Tania Sole has raised $11,145, including a $4,525 donation from herself. Her highest donation is from Redwood City resident Julie Pardini for $4,600, followed by a $500 donation from Redwood City resident Raz Serero.

Updated fundraising information for Maurice Goodman, Mark Gilham and Alison Madden were not available on the Secretary of State’s website.