With the final vote count certified on Dec. 3, Lookout’s On the Campaign Trail delivered Election 2024 results, reaction and analysis from across Santa Cruz County and beyond.
Election 2024 campaign finance
Coverage of donations and campaign finance disclosures in the 2024 election cycle.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
De Serpa, Martinez widen money advantage in supervisor races
Kim De Serpa and Monica Martinez widened their fundraising advantage over Kristen Brown and Christopher Bradford, respectively, in their campaigns for the District 2 and District 5 seats on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, according to campaign finance reports that were due Thursday. In the District 2 race, De Serpa has cash on hand, while Brown reported spending slightly more money than she has brought in. In the District 5 race, Martinez has a nearly 3-to-1 fundraising advantage over Bradford.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Soda industry has spent more than $1.2 million to defeat Santa Cruz sugary drink tax
A campaign funded by some of the country’s biggest soft drink companies to defeat Measure Z, a proposed sugary drink tax in the City of Santa Cruz, has spent more than $1.2 million so far, according to campaign finance reports filed this week. With less than two weeks before the Nov. 5 election, supporters of the measure had reported spending only $43,000.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
In the Public Interest: How are Santa Cruz County supervisor candidates spending their money?
Inside Santa Cruz County politics & policy with Lookout’s Christopher Neely.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Coke, Pepsi and Red Bull spend big to defeat Santa Cruz’s soda tax
A key pre-election campaign finance reporting deadline on Thursday revealed that the biggest players in America’s soft drink industry, including the parent companies of Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper and Red Bull, have donated nearly $1 million to defeat a city of Santa Cruz ballot measure this fall that would enact a special tax on sugary drinks.
Posted inLatest News
Deep-blue California is a piggy bank for Kamala Harris — and Donald Trump. How they’re trying to cash in
Kamala Harris is bringing back Democratic donors who soured on President Joe Biden. Donald Trump is counting on his pick of running mate, JD Vance, to raise money in Silicon Valley.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Labor’s big blitz leads third-party spending in Santa Cruz County races
Service Employees International Union Local 521 has spent big in Santa Cruz County supervisor and Santa Cruz City Council races this cycle. Santa Cruz Together and the owner of a local pedicab also jumped into independently advertising local candidates ahead of Tuesday’s primary election.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Where is the money coming from in Santa Cruz County supervisor races?
Across three races for seats on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, money has been flowing from all over the county and even beyond its borders.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Who is behind the largest campaign donations in Santa Cruz County’s primary election cycle?
Nearly $640,000 has flowed into Santa Cruz County campaigns during this primary election cycle. Who are the people and organizations behind the dollars?
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Candidates filed their final pre-election campaign finance disclosures of 2024. This is what they show.
A look at the financial disclosures from candidates for Santa Cruz County supervisor and Santa Cruz City Council and for proponents and opponents of Santa Cruz ballot initiative Measure M.