Ryan Coonerty raised $24,759 in the latest campaign finance period, compared to $16,258 for opponent Ami Chen Mills as the Santa Cruz mayoral race heads toward Election Day. Here’s a look at fundraising totals and notable donors in local city council races.
Election 2026: Santa Cruz mayor
Lookout news and Community Voices opinion coverage of the 2026 race to succeed Fred Keeley as mayor of Santa Cruz.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Meet the Santa Cruz mayoral candidates: Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty
Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty are running to succeed Fred Keeley as Santa Cruz mayor. Hear from each in their own words with short videos.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Ryan Coonerty for Santa Cruz mayor
Santa Cruz is at a pivotal moment of change, and its next mayor will need experience, political savvy and a clear vision for the city’s future. The Lookout Editorial Board endorses Ryan Coonerty over Ami Chen Mills, recognizing her advocacy and the concerns she raises about homelessness, affordability and city design. But Coonerty’s government experience, regional relationships and policy initiatives make him better equipped to tackle the city’s most pressing challenges. His proposals for public art, downtown revitalization and greater transparency offer a promising path forward.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz mayoral race: Plenty of similarities within the division between Coonerty, Chen Mills
Ryan Coonerty and Ami Chen Mills are reaching the end of a long, intense campaign to decide who will be mayor of Santa Cruz for the next four years. The two have made their stances on the city’s major issues clear over the past several months, and in the closing stretch of the campaign, they seek to make their final cases to voters.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz mayor race: We fact-checked two disputed claims about Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty
A contentious, competitive race for Santa Cruz mayor has included a number of claims that both candidates have consistently rejected – most notably, that Ami Chen Mills wants to cancel a $500,000 loan from the city to Joby Aviation and that Ryan Coonerty supports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Former Santa Cruz mayoral candidate Gillian Greensite endorses Ryan Coonerty
Gillian Greensite, a longtime local activist and mayoral candidate in the primary election, officially endorsed Ryan Coonerty for Santa Cruz mayor on Thursday. She said that she believes Coonerty is the best choice for the city leadership role, that she and Coonerty hold common ground on overbuilding, and likes his idea of posting a public dashboard with data on city progress across multiple areas.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Ryan Coonerty has the stronger record on public safety
In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident touts the credentials of mayoral candidate Ryan Coonerty on issues of public safety.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz County elections 2026: Which city candidates are raising the most campaign cash?
Thursday was the deadline for candidates running for local office to file their first campaign finance disclosures ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. Here’s what the numbers say.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz mayoral candidates Ami Chen Mills, Ryan Coonerty clash over AI, Flock cameras and campaign conduct
Lookout’s Santa Cruz mayoral candidate forum saw Ami Chen Mills and Ryan Coonerty discuss a variety of city issues, including budgets and homelessness. However, between talking about the issues, the candidates also talked about the divisiveness of the campaign — and the issues they’ve had with each other.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Santa Cruz mayoral candidates Ryan Coonerty, Ami Chen Mills face off Wednesday in Lookout forum
Santa Cruz mayoral candidates Ryan Coonerty and Ami Chen Mills are set to discuss a host of city issues during Lookout’s candidate forum Wednesday at 6 p.m. The sold-out event will be livestreamed.
