Capitol Alert: Want a California House seat? Price tag is more than $1 million

Capitol Alert

The latest on California politics and government

March 11, 2013

Want a California House seat? Price tag is more than $1 million

What's the price of a California congressional seat? Well over $1 million, if campaign contributions are any indication.

California's 53-member congressional delegation raised a combined $85 million for their successful 2012 races, with the average member accepting $1,611,767.30 in contributions, according to data collected by MapLight.org.

That figure, which doesn't count the millions poured into the state's races by outside groups, is slightly lower than the national average of $1.68 million raised by winning House candidates cited in MapLight's report. In both cases, members were taking in more than $2,000 a day on average.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, took in the most cash of all California members, reporting more than $4.5 million in contributions. While McCarthy didn't face a serious challenge last year, his leadership position as House majority whip makes him a magnet for campaign money.

Freshman Democratic Rep. Scott Peters, who defeated GOP incumbent Brian Bilbray in San Diego's 52nd Congressional District, was No. 2, with $4.38 million in donations. More than $3.66 million in contributions secured the third spot for Sacramento County's Ami Bera, the Elk Grove Democrat who unseated GOP Rep. Dan Lungren in the 7th Congressional District.

Democratic Rep. Gloria Negrete McLeod raised the least of all California members, taking in a mere $352,550. The former state senator edged out fellow Democrat Joe Baca in November with the help of $3 million in last-minute independent advertisements funded by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

PHOTO CREDIT:Representative Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield, during the Republican National Convention inside the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, Monday, September 1, 2008. Brian Baer, Sacramento Bee.

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