Assemblyman Wagner has big fundraising lead in Senate contest

Assemblyman Donald Wagner, left, shakes hands with then-Assemblyman Anthony Portantino at the Capitol in 2011.

Los Angeles Times

March 5, 2015 5:42 PM PT

Reporting from Sacramento — State Assemblyman Don Wagner (R-Irvine) has jumped out to a big fundraising lead over two other GOP candidates in Orange County vying for an open seat in the state Senate.

With the March 17 special election looming, Wagner reported Thursday that his campaign has raised $371,000 so far and has $118,000 in his campaign account as of Feb. 28.

John Moorlach, a former member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, reported raising $108,000 and holding $33,500 in his account at the end of the period. Congressional aide Naz Namazi has raised $11,240 so far.

The 37^th Senate District seat was vacated when Republican state Sen. Mimi Walters was elected to Congress in November.

Wagner built his fundraising lead with contributions from fellow Republican lawmakers as well as groups including the California New Car Dealers Assn., Blue Shield of California, the Building Owners and Managers Assn., the California Hospital Assn., and casino operators including the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians.

The vast majority of Moorlach’s contributions come from individuals, including accountants, attorneys and doctors, while companies that contributed included Ganahl Lumber Co. and Wealth Management Corp.

Patrick McGreevy

Patrick McGreevy covered the California Legislature out of the Sacramento bureau until 2021. He joined the Los Angeles Times in 1998 and worked in the City Hall and San Fernando Valley bureaus, writing about subjects including Valley secession, LAPD reform and city government during the administrations of Mayors Richard Riordan, James Hahn and Antonio Villaraigosa. He is a native of San Diego and a graduate of San Jose State University.