Rep. Waxman Maintains Large Fundraising Lead

Fundraising figures released by the Federal Elections Commission showed that Rep. Henry Waxman, a longtime member of Congress running in the newly configured 33rd Congressional District, has four times as much cash to spend than his next closest opponent ahead of the June 5 primary election.

Waxman, a staunch Democrat who has served in Congress since 1975, reported having  $894,733 cash on hand at the end of the pre-primary reporting period Thursday that covered contributions from April 1 through May 16. Waxman's campaign reported contributions this filing period of $21,276 and overall contributions of $434,866 to date, according to the FEC data. The campaign had net operating expenditures of $9,908 this period and $198,500 to date.

Candidate Bill Bloomfield, who listed no party identification, reported having cash on hand of $215,672, with contributions of $1.1 million this period and net expenditures of $919,014.

Green Party candidate David Steinman reported cash on hand of $50,000, with zero contributions and expenditures this reporting period. Zein Obagi cash on hand of $9,878 and contributions this period of $23,930.

Eight candidates were certified to compete in the race, but only four filed pre-primary campaign financing reports with the FEC, according to online data.

Steve Collett, a Libertarian, reported cash on hand of $147,229 during the previous reporting period that covered contributions from Jan. 1 through March 31, but no pre-primary campaign finance data was available.

Waxman is moving from his 30th Congressional District to the newly drawn 33rd Congressional District. The new district now includes Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach and Palos Verdes and runs north through slivers of Marina del Rey and Venice and also includes Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica, Westwood, Beverly Hills and the communities of Brentwood, West L.A. and the Pacific Palisades.

Waxman, 72, received a $1,000 contribution this reporting period from well known defense attorney Harland Braun, who successfully defended one of the officers in the Rodney King beating case and celebrity clients ranging from Robert Blake to Gary Busey.

The top two vote-getters in the June 5 primary election will advance to the Nov. 6 general election regardless of party preference or whether one candidate receives a majority of votes in the primary election. The June 5 primary election will include elections for U.S. President, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, as well as state Senate and state Assembly races.

The winner of California's 33rd congressional race will serve a two-year term starting Jan. 3, 2013. The expansive district is heavily Democratic. Of the 430,618 registered voters, only 28 percent are Republicans.

(Correction: Updated Saturday, May 26, to correct that Bloomfield has no party identification.)