Monterey County Weekly - Jimmy Panetta Leads In Congressional Fundraising With Big Donors.

News Article

By Sara Rubin

Even before Jimmy Panetta, a deputy district attorney, announced his intention to run for Congress as long-time Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, retires, his name was being floated as the powerful frontrunner.

He'd have immense fundraising leverage, political insiders were saying, thanks to his father Leon Panetta's long and successful political career.

Those predictions have proven to be true, based on the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission, showing he has out-fundraised Republican opponent Casey Lucius by about 3-to-1.

Panetta is the lone Democrat in a three-way race, which is surprisingly few candidates considering the last time California Congressional District 20 had an open seat-- because former Congressman Leon Panetta had been appointed by Bill Clinton to lead the Office of Management and Budget--more than 20 candidates ran.

(Farr, who has never lost an election in his career, won that contest.)

Panetta raised $251,000 last year, with gifts from dozens of locals, as well as help from donors scattered across California and the nation. (His parents, Leon and Sylvia, also each donated $5,400.)

Donors include local businesses like AG Davi Realtors ($250), and local business people like Ted Balestreri of Cannery Row Company ($2,700), Monterey Plaza Hotel GM John Narigi ($500) and Pebble Beach Company CEO William Perocchi ($2,700).

The Carmel Valley couple David and Laurie Benjamin (he's the CEO of Benjamin Media Investments, she's a medical researcher for Pacific Cancer Care), gave $10,000. George and Debra Couch of Pebble Beach (she owns Debra C. Fashion, which has a store in Carmel; he owns the Watsonville trucking company Couch Distributors) gave $10,800.

There's also a strong agribusiness showing, with gifts from multiple members of the Antle family (of Tanimura & Antle fame), totaling $11,800. Troy Boutonnet, a VP at Ocean Mist Farms, gave $1,000, and Thomas O'Brien, a VP at Dirscoll's, gave $500.

Panetta also did well with funds from beyond Congressional District 20. Jeremy Bash, founder and managing director of Beacon Global Strategies in Washington, D.C., gave $2,700; Robyn Bash, vice president for government relations at the American Hospital Association in Washington, also gave $2,700.

Jeremy Bash is the former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Defense and at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he worked with Leon Panetta.

Stewart Resnick of Los Angeles, the founder of POM Wonderful and an agribiz billionaire (Forbes report his net worth is $4.3 billion), gave $500. Stanley Zax, a retired insurance company executive who lives in Beverly Hills, gave $2,700.

Panetta also raised money from a few political action committees, the New Energy PAC, United Fresh Produce PAC and VoteVets PAC. (He and Lucius are both veterans.)

Lucius raised $84,000 last year and spent nearly half of it, leaving her cash reserve outnumbered by 5-to-1 compared to Panetta's.

Her donor list includes just a couple of elected officials, Jeanne Byrne of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District ($500) and former county supervisor Butch Lindley ($700).

It also includes its fair share of agribiz, including Don Christopher of Gilroy-based garlic giant Christopher Ranch ($2,000); John D'Arrigo of D'Arrigo Brothers ($1,500) and Bob Nunes of the Nunes Company ($1,000).

James J. Hill III, who gave $1,000 to Lucius' campaign, donated to Mitt Romeny's presidential run and also donated a mine-resistant ambush-protect vehicle, or MRAP, to the Del Rey Oaks Police Department, where he is a reserve officer.

"I'm truly honored by the show of support," Panetta said in a statement. "We have been overwhelmed by the large and diverse group of people wanting to volunteer, walk, call, donate and support the campaign in any way that they can."

In an election with candidates of limited political experience, Lucius--who was elected to Pacific Grove City Council in 2012--is the most experienced because of her time on City Council. (Panetta serves on the Monterey County Central Democratic Committee, which is an elected seat.)

Matt Bruner, a 25-year-old teacher who lives in Aptos, is making his first-ever run for elected office going up against Lucius and Panetta.

"I think the people of this district deserve the opportunity to vote for someone who's going to be a true representative of the people, and someone who's not supported by large political donations or political legacy," Bruner says.

"My not having held office is something that I'd like to highlight as being somewhat of a positive."

He says he'll make up for a lack of political experience with his knowledge of the nuts and bolts as a government and politics high school teacher.

Bruner has not yet filed any campaign finance reports. (The only record in his FEC file is a letter from the FEC instructing him to complete his incomplete paperwork indicating his intent to run.)

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