Jackson, Strickland spend millions over summer months in battleground district

The candidates for the 19th Senate District spent over $1.2 million each during the last three months in the battle to replace state Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), who is retiring to run for Congress.
 
From the first of July through the last day of September, Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) spent $1,249,158.15. Her opponent, Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks), spent almost as much, dropping $1,208,291.35.
 
Both parties are investing heavily in the state’s most competitive senate race, which features two seasoned politicians (both Jackson and Strickland served three terms in the state assembly). The Democratic State Central Committee contributed $871,442 to Jackson's campaign over the summer, accounting for almost 80 percent of her total intake. While Strickland raised only about $277,000 during that time, the California Republican Party gave him almost $1.2 million on June 30, an infusion that, as of the first of this month, represented about 84 percent of Strickland's total fundraising.
 
The money has led to a war on the airwaves, as each candidate looks to define the other in the final weeks before the election.
 
The state parties show no signs of letting up in this battleground district, either. In the last week alone, the CRP threw another $250,000, and the DSCC another $368,000, into the race.
 
Democrats need to pick up two more senate seats to reach a two-thirds majority, which would allow them to pass crucial legislation without Republican cooperation.

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