Ahead of federal campaign finance deadlines next week, Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, and Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, announced their totals raised for the third quarter of 2020, placing the congressman well ahead of his opponent.
Committees have until Oct. 15 to file paperwork for the period between July 1 and Sept. 30, according to Judith Ingram a press officer with the Federal Election Commission. The second quarter covered contributions and expenditures between April 1 and June 30.
Garcia’s committee announced Thursday it had raised $3.18 million in the third quarter, with a cash-on-hand total of $1.99 million.
“These numbers show that Southern California families have had enough of liberal politician Christy Smith and her massive tax hikes and prefer Mike Garcia, who remains an objective voice fighting for lower taxes,” Garcia spokesman Lance Trover said in a prepared statement.
Smith had raised $1.34 million, with nearly 18,000 contributions coming from educators, according to a news release from her committee. Third-quarter funds brought her overall total raised to $4.8 million, officials added.
“With every dollar, we are making it clear to my opponent that our community needs greater access to health care, better jobs, support for public education, and an actual plan to deal with COVID-19 recovery,” Smith said in a statement. “The voices of everyday people need to be heard in Washington.”
Once the committees file by the deadline, the FEC will release additional details regarding contributions, expenditures and debt from the third quarter.
Figures from the second quarter showed that Garcia led the fundraising charts with more than $1.55 million, while Smith brought in $960,300.
FEC figures Thursday, which reflected tallies from the second quarter, showed Garcia’s reported expenditures at $3.56 million and debt at $322,700. Smith had expenditures at $3.02 million, cash on hand of $402,800 and no debt.
After Garcia’s victory in the special election in May, the candidates will face off again in November for the new, full term in the 25th Congressional District.
