Funding Shapes California's 3rd District House Primary Race
In one of California's most closely-watched congressional races following a seismic redistricting, incumbent Rep. Ami Bera holds a financial advantage so commanding it's shaped the competitive landscape before a single vote has been cast in the June 2 primary.
Bera, a seven-term Sacramento-area Democrat and physician who has represented the region since 2013, enters primary day with nearly $1.9 million in cash on hand, according to Open Secrets, dwarfing every challenger in the field. His nearest competitor, Nevada County supervisor Heidi Hall, raised a total of $573,174 by May 13, according to Federal Election Committee data. The rest of the field barely registers.
Bera's fundraising machine is built on corporate PAC money, a fact his challengers have made central to their campaigns. According to Open Secrets, his donor roster includes PACs affiliated with Fox Corporation, Comcast, AT&T, Google, and Walmart, alongside a consistent stream of contributions from the health and pharmaceut…