DA candidates bring big dollars to county race
from the Times-Standard | News Articles | by James Faulk | May 26, 2006
More than $200,000 raised in campaign for county's top cop

EUREKA -- The money in the district attorney campaign is already more than double the amount spent in the 2002 race.
But the cash pales in comparison to that of the recall election two years ago.

According to figures received by filing deadline Thursday, incumbent District Attorney Paul Gallegos has so far topped his opponent, but not by much.

Gallegos raised $116,005 overall this year -- $84,067 in cash, and $31,937 in in-kind donations. He's spent $127,665, and has $6,197 remaining on hand.

His largest contributors include attorney Michael Acosta with Bear River at $1,000; Sonia Baur of Garberville at $1,000; the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria at $10,000; C. Bowen of Berkeley at $5,000; Richard Cogswell and Ester Saunoras of Petrolia at $7,000; Orlando P. Gallegos of New Mexico at $10,000; Rory Hanson, a Eureka attorney, at $2,137; Law Offices of Jennifer Keller in Irvine at $2,500; Michael Shellenberger of El Cerrito at $1,000; Dana Soria and Mary Smith of Fortuna at $1,085; Tracy Katelman of Eureka, owner of Evergreen Forestry, at $1,786; and Rob Then of Whitethorn at $3,586.

He also received dozens of auction donations and three loans totaling $3,200.

Challenger and Deputy District Attorney Worth Dikeman has raised a total of $103,769 so far this year, $79,771 of it in cash. Of that, he's spent $73,499. As of May 20, he still had $37,785 on hand.

His biggest contributors were the Humboldt Deputy Sheriff's Organization, $1,000; Robin Arkley of Arcata, $6,000; former Fortuna Councilwoman Debi August, $1,550; T Garvey of Bayside, $1,730; S. Morris Logging and Contracting of Arcata, $1,900; TT Construction of Orleans, $1,000; Tomac LLC of Arcata, $5,000; and Jennifer Dikeman of Vallejo, $1,000.
SJR Masonry and Gold Coast Services also gave Dikeman a $2,000 custom-built barbecue.

Dikeman's donors include a long list of law enforcement officials, as well, from Neal Hubbard of the Eureka Police Department to Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff's Department.

In the recall election, the amount raised by all parties approached nearly $700,000.

In 2002, Gallegos only raised about $50,000 to beat Terry Farmer, who also raised about $50,000 in that election.