In a race with no clear frontrunner, two Democrats running for Bexar County District Attorney have used personal money to outspend the rest of the field.
Campaign finance reports covering Jan. 23 through Feb. 22 were due Monday.
They indicated no candidate had raised more than about $25,000 in that span, but Luz Elena Chapa was able to spend $245,000 on advertising and block-walking, thanks to a $100,000 personal loan early on in the race and a $100,000 check from her ex-husband, attorney Miguel Chapa, back in December.
Chapa has been under attack from a field of candidates who say her lack of prosecutorial experience makes her dangerously unqualified to be the next district attorney.
She’s never been a prosecutor, while the others have spent years working in the DA’s office — and some still manage departments there today.
Get smart quickly on the eight Democrats running for District Attorney
But so far few candidates are raising enough money to get their messages out ahead of the March 3 primary.
Jane Davis, chief of the Juvenile Section of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, came the closest to Chapa after loaning her own campaign a total of $266,000, according to the most recent reports. She brought in just $1,000 in donations between Jan. 23 through Feb. 22, spent $90,000 and reported $168,000 on hand.
The next-biggest spender was Angelica “Meli” Carrión Powers, who oversees the Family Violence Division at the District Attorney’s Office. She’s also used personal funds for the race, raising about $500 between Jan. 23 through Feb. 22 and spending about $65,000.
The eight-way Democratic primary is likely to come down to a May 26 runoff, with the winner emerging as the odds-on favorite to carry the blue county in November.
Yet few political insiders have a clear idea of who those two final Democratic candidates might be.
Past district attorney races have been rocked by big PAC money, which so far has yet to come in this race.
The progressive bail reform group Texas Organizing Project is backing Jim Bethke in the Democratic primary, but had only spent about $32,000 on mailers his behalf as of Feb. 22, according to his campaign finance report.
The San Antonio Police Officers Association’s PAC endorsed Chapa and spent about $50,000 on her behalf, according to spokesman for the group.
In a recent op-ed, Chapa held that support up as evidence the community has confidence she can do the job.
Fundraising toplines
- Former Fourth Court of Appeals Justice Luz Elena Chapa (D) raised $26,000, spent $245,000 and reported $50,000 on hand. She received about $50,000 in help from the police union’s PAC.
- Jane Davis, chief of the Juvenile Section of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, loaned her campaign another $160,000, bringing her total investment up to $266,000. She reported $1,000 raised, $90,000 spent and $168,000 on hand.
- Angelica “Meli” Carrión Powers, who oversees the Family Violence Division at the District Attorney’s Office, raised $500 and spent about $65,000.
- Shannon Locke, a defense attorney, raised $13,400, spent $23,000 and reported $1,000 on hand.
- Oscar Salinas, a prosecutor in the DA’s office, raised about $500 and spent $3,500 and reported $365 on hand.
- Meredith Chacon, a defense attorney and former prosecutor, raised $26,000 and spent $12,500, and reported $7,000 on hand.
- Veronica Legarreta, a defense attorney, raised $6,500, spent $9,500 and reported $13,600 on hand.
- James Bethke, executive director of the Managed Assigned Counsel, raised $18,500, spent $10,000, and reported $13,000 on hand. He also received $32,000 worth of help from the Texas Organizing Project.
