Incumbent City Attorney Mike Aguirre raised almost $40,000 in the last three months and did not pump any of his own money into his bruising election battle with challenger Jan Goldsmith, according to campaign filings.
In previous years, Aguirre has sunk more than $500,000 into election campaigns, but, with less than a month to go to the election, he appears reluctant — or unable — to dig into his own pockets to fund his campaign.
Earlier this year, Executive Assistant City Attorney Don McGrath, one of Aguirre’s closest confidants, said he wasn’t sure Aguirre had enough money saved up to wage the sort of high-profile race he’s run in the past.
“I don’t think he’s got any money,” McGrath said. “If he does, he’s choosing not to use it.”
I called up Aguirre and asked him if he’s broke.
“I did put some money in,” Aguirre said. “I’m a gradualist, I don’t want to do things precipitously.”
Gradualist or not, with one month left, it’s interesting to see the city attorney holding back on his spending. By my calculations, Aguirre has either lent or given his campaign $31,500 since the beginning of the year.
Aguirre is the only one of the two city attorney candidates running television advertising, however. Goldsmith’s spending reports haven’t been posted yet. You can view Aguirre’s filing here.