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# Staying power: Incumbents rally funds
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/staying-power-incumbents-rally-funds/
- Published: 2004-10-22T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T05:19:23.000Z
- Author: John Wood
- Tags: Government & Politics, Pier, #archive-import

*More financial reports to be filed at City Hall*

(Editor’s note: This is the first article in a series on local election fundraising.) CITY HALL — Facing a crowded field of 10 contenders, the four Santa Monica City Councilmen seeking re-election this November stepped up their fundraising campaigns in the first half of October, collectively raising more than $73,000, financial documents show.

Leading the four incumbents was City Councilman Ken Genser, who raised more than $25,000 in the first two weeks of October. Genser was followed, in order, by Mayor Richard Bloom, and City Councilmen Herb Katz and Mike Feinstein, according to the reports.

Still commanding the money race, however, was challenger Bobby Shriver, a Kennedy family descendant who’s relied on family and personal connections to amass a massive campaign war chest. City Hall didn’t receive Shriver’s most recent disclosure forms Thursday, but by the end of September Shriver had already raised more than $100,000\. None of the incumbents have reached that benchmark.

By contrast, Genser had raised only $1,200 before this month. He raked in $25,000 over the first half of October through donations from executives at Southern California Disposal; the re-election campaign for Assemblyman Paul Koretz; City Councilman Kevin McKeown; Santa Monica College administrator Don Girard; local preservationist Nina Fresco; and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., a restaurant slated to open on the Santa Monica Pier, according to the reports at City Hall.

Of the money he’s raised, Genser reported spending about $10,000 so far, the vast majority on 17 pieces of campaign literature, including election mailers.

Bloom, who only had $1,100 before this month, raised nearly $21,000 in the first half of October, attracting campaign donations from, among others, John Maceri, the head of Santa Monica’s largest social services provider, and Assemblyman Koretz’s re-election campaign. Bloom reported spending $9,000, mostly on 12 election mailers, a political consultant and campaign office expenses.

Following Bloom was Katz, who raised $16,400 in the first two weeks of October, adding to the $58,900 he had already raised. Katz’s recent donations came from the Action Issues political action committee; local business interests like the owners of Ye Olde King’s Head and Shutters on the Beach; the Hilton Hotels Corp.; and attorneys Robert Bisno and Ken Kutcher, among others.

Feinstein raised $2,700 in the first half of October, adding onto $22,300 he already had raised and another $44,800 he has lent his own campaign. Recent donations to Feinstein’s campaign came from Rent Control Board spokeswoman Tracy Condon; Claire Ragge, owner of the Gaslite; and the Santa Monica Pier Lessees’ Association, among others, according to the reports. As to expenditures, Feinstein reported sending $25,000 to the Gilpin Group, the consulting firm handling his campaign.

Candidates are limited by local law to accepting individual donations of no more than $250\. They also must regularly disclose their fundraising activities. Thursday was the last of the regular pre-election reporting deadlines, and officials expect more forms to arrive in the mail today. Election expenses made in the days leading up to Nov. 2 must be reported within 24 hours.

The money raised by individual candidates is just part of what will be spent prior to the Nov. 2 election. Local political groups like the powerful tenants’ group Santa Monicans for Renters Rights also have raised tens of thousands of dollars to support their chosen candidates. SMRR reported more than $124,569 in cash contributions so far this year, forms filed Thursday show.

Also, several independent expenditure committees, which don’t have to abide by the $250 limit, but also are forbidden from communicating with candidates, recently have been established. Among the new independent committees are a group calling itself Santa Monicans for Change, which is backed by local businesses and has already sent out three election mailers, and two new groups formed this week — Santa Monicans for Responsible Government and Homeowners for Change.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 22, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/102204.pdf?ref=smdp.com)