BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
More than $10 million could be spent in the race to replace Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, with four candidates breaking six figures and getting Super PACs behind them.
Former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo is in first with $2.2 million raised through Feb. 14, campaign finance forms show.
Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian has raised $951,156 during this election cycle and brought in another $681,003 from 2009 to 2022 while awaiting Eshoo’s retirement. That gives him $1.6 million in donations through Feb. 14, forms show.
Assemblyman Evan Low has raised $1.35 million, campaign finance forms show.
Former Marine Peter Dixon has brought in $1.25 million and loaned himself $1.4 million. He’s fourth in donations but has the most money to spend.
All four candidates also have “Super PACs” behind them, which are set up to avoid donation limits but aren’t allowed to coordinate with candidates.
The largest Super PAC is backing Dixon, spending $1.5 million on mailers and commercials, forms shows.
Called the “Next Generation Veteran Fund,” the Super PAC can be traced back to Jeff Bezos and his parents, whose donations were funneled through three other Super PACs.
PG&E is backing Low. The company donated $125,000 last year and another $200,000 on Feb. 6 to the “Golden State Leadership Fund,” a Super PAC running commercials showing Low in a boxing ring with former President Donald Trump.
East West Bank, the California Apartment Association and the LGBT Caucus Leadership Fund have also donated to the Super PAC.
Liccardo and Simitian are getting support from two tech executives: Daniel Warmenhoven from NetApp is for Liccardo, and Jay Gellert from Health Net is for Simitian.
Gellert’s Super PAC has raised $263,500.
Warmenhoven’s Super PAC has only reported $50,000 donated by himself on Jan. 10. The Super PAC has spent $110,738 on mailers for Liccardo, forms show.
The top four candidates are followed by Palo Alto Councilwoman Julie Lythcott-Haims with $595,780, former Saratoga Councilman Rishi Kumar with $289,503 and pro-Palestine attorney Ahmed Mostafa with $201,773.
They’re followed by Stanford graduate student Joby Bernstein with $140,836, former Menlo Park Mayor Peter Ohtaki with $54,179 and Palo Alto Councilman Greg Tanaka with $15,080.
Los Gatos Republican Karl Ryan hasn’t raised any money.