SC Council Candidates Raise and Spend Thousands

The five candidates for San Clemente City Council are in the final stretch leading up to the November election when two seats are up for grabs, and they've spent and raised cash accordingly.

Not counting loans -- almost all of which were made by the candidates themselves to their own campaigns – candidate Mike Mortenson was the top fundraiser through Sept. 30. With a donations and loans total of $18,543 raised, Mortenson has spent $10,165 on campaign materials, literature and other expenses.

Mortenson got a big boost from the California Real Estate Political Action Committee, which gave him $10,000 on Sept. 20.

Incumbent Jim Dahl's campaign manager also donated $200 to Mortenson. Though Dahl isn't formally running with Mortenson, he's told Patch he and Mortenson see eye-to-eye on many issues.

Mortenson has loaned his own campaign $3,000.

Incumbent Robert Baker has raised and spent the most overall. Baker will appear on the ballot as Robert "Bob" Baker 1 (.)

Baker 1 raised $34,214, $31,500 of which was a loan from himself to the campaign. He has so far spent $26,619. The bulk of that, $19,562, went to Freeman Public Affairs campaign consulting firm in Torrance.

Incumbent Dahl has raised $10,319, $3,192 of which is a loan from himself to his campaign. Through Sept. 30, he spent almost all his money―$10,121 to be exact.

Like Mortenson, Dahl collected money form the California Real Estate PAC, receiving $2,000 from the entity.

Former Councilman Joe Anderson and current Mayor Jim Evert also donated to Dahl's campaign as did the company that runs Fisherman's Restaurant on the San Clemente Pier.

Candidate Chris Hamm, the de-facto running partner to Baker 1 similar to Mortenson’s relationship to Dahl, raised $5,097 in cash contributions and in-kind contributions and had spent only $471 through Sept. 30.

Candidate David Clegg signed a paper vowing he would be spending and raising less than $1,000 during his campaign, meaning he doesn't have to fill out any donation disclosures.