By C. Jayden Smith and Shawn Raymundo
In the mad dash toward the Nov. 8 San Clemente City Council race, incumbent Councilmember Steve Knoblock and candidate Victor Cabral have reportedly outraised their opponents, each raking in more than $28,000 toward their respective war chests, while Zhen Wu has outspent everyone in the race, devoting roughly $49,880 toward his bid for a seat on the dais.
Based on all the candidates’ latest campaign statements filed in late October, Knoblock, the staunch conservative who’s seeking reelection after first winning his seat in the 2020 Special Election, led the pack by collecting $28,995 in monetary contributions from various businesses, political action groups and private citizens since July 1.
“It means a lot of people trust my judgment on issues involving public safety, family values, smaller government, constitutional freedom and are willing to put their money where their heart is,” Knoblock saidin an email.
Cabral, an attorney and businessman, trailed closely behind Knoblock, as his filing reported him raising $28,164 in monetary contributions. Cabral got the biggest boost from the San Clemente Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles-based California Real Estate Political Action Committee (PAC), which cumulatively contributed $8,900 toward his campaign.
“Almost every contribution comes from friendships I have made over my 40-year career in public policy,” he said in an email. “It means that I have developed great friendships over the years and the people that know me best, my friends, trust me to do what’s best for San Clemente.”
Both Knoblock and Cabral received support from the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs PAC, contributing $1,000 and $500, respectively. Knoblock also received a $2,500 contribution from the CA Real Estate PAC.
Wu, a former planning commissioner for the city, had $47,503 in total contributions—including nonmonetary donations and loans—and spent a total of $49,883.03 as of Oct. 22, the end of the previous filing period.
With 10 candidates officially in the race for the three open seats, only eight—Thor Johnson, Dennis Kamp, Aaron Washington, Mark Enmeier and Donna Vidrine, as well as Cabral, Knoblock and Wu—have filed campaign statement forms, or 460 forms. No 460 reports were listed for Shane Hirschman and Chanel Fetty on the city’s webpage for Campaign Finance Disclosures.
San Clemente Times compiled information included in the 460 forms, officially known as Recipient Committee Campaign Statements, to determine how much money the City Council candidates received and spent in relation to the Nov. 8 election.
As of the Oct. 22 filing period, no other candidates besides Knoblock and Cabral had raised more than $20,000 in monetary contributions. Wu, who ran in the Special Election against Knoblock and Vidrine in 2020, was sitting close behind, though, raising a total of $17,503, according to his most recent 460 form.
After Wu were Enmeier, a San Clemente High history teacher; Vidrine, a nurse and business owner; and Washington, a deputy program manager who sought a council seat in the 2020 General Election. Enmeier has collected $14,646 toward his war chest, while Vidrine raised $14,509 and Washington received $14,119.
Kamp, who spent his career in the engineering and construction industry, and Johnson, another 2020 council hopeful and local entrepreneur, had raised $6,073 and $2,750, respectively, as of Oct. 22.
In terms of overall total contributions, including money collected, loans received and nonmonetary goods or services donated, Cabral has the most in his war chest for the election with $48,464. Not too far behind was Wu, with his $47,503. Both candidates reported sizeable loans, as Wu listed $30,000 for his campaign and Cabral listed $20,000 for his.
Except for Knoblock, all the other active candidates also reported loans, ranging from $200 to $12,525. Washington also reported receiving a nonmonetary contribution of roughly $2,900 during a previous reporting period.
Totaling the contributions of all candidates so far, about $213,163 has been raised in both monetary and nonmonetary donations, as well as loans received. That figure already exceeds the roughly $184,256 in total contributions raised during the General Election in 2020, when there were 10 candidates vying for two seats.
According to the final 460 forms filed after the 2020 races, about $308,772 was cumulatively raised among all 18 candidates in the General and Special Elections.
As for who or what has contributed to the campaigns, candidates have received money from various sources including individuals, and both local and out-of-city business entities, organizations and political action committees.
A review of Knoblock’s campaign statements shows that more than half of his total monetary contributions, $16,749, came from political groups such as the Family Action PAC and the Committee for Improved Public Policy, as well as business entities including CR&R, La Pata Business Properties, LLC, and O’Hill, LLC.
Similarly, more than half of the monetary contributions Washington had collected until late October were attributed to businesses and PACs. Washington’s largest donation of $4,000 came from the Chamber of Commerce’s Business for a Better San Clemente Committee—which has endorsed him and Cabral for the race. Other notable contributors included Jay Longley Enterprises and the Deputy Sheriffs PAC.
Nearly half of Kamp’s contributions could also be attributed to various organizations and political action committees. The OC Employees Association PAC and the Democratic Women of South Orange County each gave $1,000, while the Women of American Values and Ethics and Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties PAC each contributed $500.
The Democratic Women of South OC also contributed $1,000 to both Vidrine and Enmeier. The Planned Parenthood PAC and OC Employees PAC also gave $500 and $1,000, respectively, to Vidrine’s campaign. She also received a $1,000 contribution from the Women in Leadership PAC, a group focused on electing women to office who support full reproductive rights.
Of Wu’s $17,500 in monetary contributions, $3,400 came from a handful of business entities such as Dind Co., South Coast Lighting & Design, and Fantasia Anchor Capital Management. A $500 contribution also came from the Apartment Association PAC.
Wu’s campaign has so far spent $49,883 on the race—nearly double the amount of Cabral’s camp, which listed expenditures at just about $26,351. Knoblock has spent $19,417; Washington has expended $15,364; and Vidrine has used $14,707 of her money.
Johnson, Enmeier and Kamp have spent less than $10,000 on their campaigns.
According to his campaign statements, much of Wu’s expenditures were allocated to Mailing Pros Inc. for campaign literature, and i77 Strategies LLC for web marketing. Wu declined to comment on the decisions behind his spending for his ongoing campaign.
Cabral directed $11,800 toward campaign consultant Urtasun Marketing, an unlisted group that falls under the ownership of Tomas Urtasun. Urtasun is also a principal at Regional Strategies Group, a San Diego-based consulting firm specializing in public affairs and marketing for political clients.
Though Cabral did not comment on why he chose Urtasun Marketing as a consultant, he saidthat he would only know whether his approach worked until after the election results had come in on Nov. 8.
Additionally, in independent expenditures, the National Association of Realtors Fund spent about $19,704 on online ads, mailers, and other expenses in support of Cabral, and the Citizens for Responsible Leadership contributed roughly $12,490 in campaign literature and postage services.
Knoblock spent $5,660 on slate mailers from Landslide Communications, and $7,410 for an entity known as 3AM Communications to produce campaign literature. In his email, Knoblock spoke about his spending on messaging to the San Clemente voters.
“Direct mail can cost upwards of $10,000 per mailer,” Knoblock said. “Slate mailers are a less expensive way to get your message to the residents. For example, Landslide Communications group, along with dozens of other slate mail companies, sends direct mail to targeted groups for as little as $900 per mailer.”
Comparing 460 forms from the 2020 race to this year’s, overall spending so far is just below the roughly $192,627 candidates cumulatively spent in the prior General Election. As of late October, this year’s candidates had spent $142,632.15.
Spending among all 18 candidates in both races in 2020 amounted to $312,369, campaign statement filings show.
Election information can be found at the City of San Clemente’s website, in addition to candidate and current officeholder’s Campaign Financial Disclosure Statements.
C. Jayden Smith
C. Jayden Smith graduated from Dana Hills High in 2018 before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in digital and broadcast journalism from the University of North Texas. After graduating in December 2020, he reported for the Salina Journal in Salina, Kansas. Jayden loves college football and bothering his black lab named Shadow.
Shawn Raymundo
Shawn Raymundo is the managing editor for Picket Fence Media. He graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies. Before joining Picket Fence Media, he worked as the government accountability reporter for the Pacific Daily News in the U.S. territory of Guam. Shawn previously held the position of city editor for the San Clemente Times, and for The Capistrano Dispatch before that. Shawn can be reached at sraymundo@picketfencemedia.com or 949.388.7700 ext. 113. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnzyTsunami and follow all of PFM’s publications including the San Clemente Times @SCTimesNews; The Capistrano Dispatch @CapoDispatch; and Dana Point Times @DanaPointTimes.
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