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Mayoral challenger leads Campo in contribution race
Campaign contribution tally
Mayoral candidates
Becky Campo
Total contributions: $7,186 (includes $1,400 loan from self)
Top contributors:
- Jim DeMartini, county supervisor: $500
- LeRoy DelDon, farmer: $500
- Beth Terry, homemaker: $300
- Jeff Arambel, farmer: $300
- Harold Arambel, farmer: $300
- Arminda Espinoza, laborer: $300
- Westside Property Management: $250
- Traina Dried Fruit Inc.: $250
- GDR Engineering: $250
- Fantozzi Farms: $250
Luis Molina
Total contributions: $9,393
Top contributors:
- John F. Quinn, president/CEO, Food 4 Less: $3,000
- Daniel Del Real, Modesto realtor: $800
- David R. Santos, farmer: $250
- Stanislaus County Democratic Club: $250
- Sam Cuellar Jr. campaign fund account: $210
- Martin G. Peterson, retired superintendent, Stanislaus County Office of Education: $200
- Central Valley Democratic Club: $200
- Kenneth R. Woerz Jr., owner, RKR Enterprises Inc.: $150
City Council candidates
Annette Smith
Total contributions: $2,179 (includes $350 loan from self)
Top contributors:
- Jim DeMartini, county supervisor: $500
- GDR Engineering: $250
- Sam Cuellar Jr. Campaign Fund Account: $100
- Kevin and Carla Nelson, West Tech: $100
- Elwood Schut: $100
Dominic Farinha
Total contributions: $2,500
Top contributors:
- Jim DeMartini, $500
- Farinha’s full campaign contribution disclosure was not available at press time. The information above was received by phone.
City Council candidates Jeff Realini and Victor Slonksnis
did not file campaign contribution information by press time. Contacted
by phone, Realini said he had received no significant contributions and
did not need to file information because his contributions totaled less
than $1,000. Slonksnis said he did not receive any contributions to his
campaign.
Mayoral candidate Luis Molina tops the money list so far in this year’s Patterson election drive.
Molina received $9,393 in cash and donations from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30. His opponent, incumbent Mayor Becky Campo, received $5,786. Candidates were required to file campaign finance statements Monday.
Of the four City Council candidates, only Councilwoman Annette Smith had filed a financial statement as of Tuesday morning. Smith received $2,179 in contributions. Councilman Dominic Farinha raised about $2,500, he said, and he hoped to have his papers in a day or two late.
Council challenger Jeff Realini said because he has not raised more than $1,000, he’s not obligated to file statements.
“I wish I could say I’m planning on turning them in late,” Realini said. “Maybe next time.”
Victor Slonksnis, the other challenger for City Council, said he didn’t file papers because he didn’t raise any money.
Molina received the two largest contributions of any candidate. The biggest was a $3,000 contribution that came from John F. Quinn, president and CEO of Food 4 Less.
Quinn has donated thousands of dollars this year and in years past to the campaigns of Republican presidential candidate John McCain, the California Republican Party, Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Merced), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and former Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Tracy).
Molina, who serves on the Stanislaus County Board of Education, formed a relationship with Quinn through the Ceres Food 4 Less, which is in Molina’s district, he said.
“I told Mr. Quinn I was running for mayor, and he asked what he could do to help,” Molina said.
The second-largest contribution among all candidates was the $800 Molina received from Daniel Del Real, a real estate agent with PMZ Real Estate in Modesto.
Of the 16 different people and companies listed in Molina’s filing, four were from the West Side. Their contributions totaled $660, while most of the other donations came from Modesto.
However, Molina said he collected $1,423 in smaller donations, and the identification and residency of those donors are not listed. Most of that money has come from locals, Molina said.
“What you don’t see is we get a lot of $20 donations,” Molina said. “My campaign doesn’t have the people with the big bucks on the West Side.”
 Campo and Molina
About 35 companies and people donated to Campo’s campaign, and almost all were local. Her supporters were mostly individuals, business people and farmers.
Campo’s donations typically ranged from $150 to $250. Her largest donations came from Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini and farmer LeRoy Deldon, each of whom gave $500. She also loaned her campaign $1,400 of her own money.
Campo received $300 each from Patterson farmers Jeff Arambel and Harold Arambel, Patterson laborer Arminda Espinoza and Modesto homemaker Beth Terry.
Campo did not return calls seeking comment on Tuesday.
DeMartini was also the largest contributor for Smith and Farinha, giving them each $500.
“I almost had tears in my eyes when I saw the check,” Smith said.
Many of Smith’s donations came from local retirees, and most of those were for less than $100. Aside from DeMartini, her biggest contributors were Mac Mortgage, which gave $290, and Ceres-based GDR Engineering Inc., which gave $250. GDR also gave $250 to Campo.
The biggest expense for Campo, Molina and Smith has been signs. Campo spent $3,339 for signs, Molina $3,328 and Smith $1,342.
Monday’s statements covered any contributions made prior to Oct. 1. The candidates will have to file an additional statement by Oct. 23.
Irrigator Managing Editor James Leonard contributed to this report.
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