Lee and Taylor have raised a combined $600,000 in Oakland mayor’s race so far

The money Loren Taylor and Barbara Lee are spending isn’t unusual by historical standards. The other seven candidates have raised next to nothing

By Eli Wolfe 

Last week, candidates running for Oakland mayor in the April 15 special election filed disclosure papers revealing how much money their campaigns have raised and spent since Jan. 1. 

According to those records, two candidates — former Congresswoman Barbara Lee and former Councilmember Loren Taylor — have raised $293,000 and $253,000, respectively.

In a press release, Taylor boasted that his campaign topped Lee by raising $310,000 since he started running for mayor in November 2024. Lee didn’t enter the race until Jan. 6, 2025, and therefore has had less time to fundraise.

Taylor and Lee received a significant number of contributions from Oakland residents, plus people outside the city. Individual contributions to candidate-controlled committees are limited to $650 per person and $1,300 for committees that represent groups of people.

Lee and Taylor are also both getting a lot of indirect support from independent expenditure committees — political organizations that spend money to support or oppose a candidate without coordinating with them. Unlike committees run by candidates, there’s no cap on what independent expenditures can raise and spend. 

The special election is on April 15, but residents will receive their mail-in ballots in less than a week. Expect to see candidates raising and spending money down to the wire. 

Barbara Lee

• The former congresswoman’s campaign has raised over $293,000 since opening a campaign account in January. 

• Lee has spent $149,804 on video production, campaign materials, polling and survey research, consultants, and fundraising events, among other things.

Some of Lee’s notable supporters include: 

• Cathy Adams, president of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce

• Former Black Panther and real estate developer Elaine Brown

• Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown

• Civil rights lawyer John Burris

• William Crotinger, president of Argent Materials

• Quinn Delaney, a philanthropist who is married to Wayne Jordan, a real estate investor

• Former Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris

• Acts Full Gospel Church Bishop Bob Jackson

• Seth Olyer, president of Oakland’s fire union

• Jesse Pollak, a cryptocurrency advocate and Coinbase executive who was a major campaign contributor in the last election cycle

• The Alameda Labor Council PAC

• IFPTE Local 21

• IBEW Local 595

• Oakland Education Association PAC

• SEIU Local 1021.

Two independent expenditure committees are working to elect Lee. “Citizens For A Brighter Oakland Future” has raised $25,225, almost all from Raymond Gallagher, founder of Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar. Most of that money has gone to ads and consulting fees to Sandre Swanson, a former assemblymember.

A second committee called “Supporters of Barbara Lee for Oakland Mayor 2025, A Coalition Of Business, Labor and Public Safety Organizations for a Better Oakland,” has raised over $168,000. Most of this money comes from union PACs, including SEIU Local 1021 and IFPTE Local 21, which represent city workers. The committee has also received contributions from the billboard company Foster Interstate Media and PG&E. The bulk of this PAC’s payments have gone to Annie Eagan, a campaign consultant who previously worked for the campaign to recall DA Pamela Price.

Loren Taylor

• The former Oakland councilmember’s campaign raised $253,817 between January and March

• Taylor spent over $112,000 on digital and TV ads, web services, consultants, campaign materials, polling and survey research, among other things

Some of Taylor’s significant supporters include: 

• Cathy Adams, president of the Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce

• Sachin Agarwal, the director of GrowSF

• Ken Berrick, CEO of Seneca Family of Agencies

• Former Black Panther and real estate developer Elaine Brown

• Todd David, the policy director of the Abundance Network

• Attorney Pamela Ferran

• Ryan Graciano, co-founder of Credit Karma

• Former Alameda County judge Brenda Harbin-Forte, who led the recall campaign against Sheng Thao last year and later ran unsuccessfully for city attorney

• Lawrence Jennings, pastor of Kingdom Builders

• Business owner and political candidate Kanitha Matoury, who is running for the D2 council seat

• Alexandria Medina, executive director of the Oakland Public Education Fund 

• Landlord and activist Chris Moore, who ran unsuccessfully for the District 5 seat on the county board of supervisors last year

• Former Alameda County DA Nancy O’Malley

• Jesse Pollak, a cryptocurrency advocate, Coinbase executive and major campaign contributor in the last election cycle

• Jackie Ray, director of government affairs at Clorox

• Former state senator Joe Simitian

• John Wayland, a developer with Holland Partner Group

Two independent expenditure committees are raising money to support Taylor. One is called “Oakland Neighbors, Businesses & Public Safety Advocates for Loren Taylor for Mayor and against Barbara Lee.” This committee was set up by Brenda Grisham, one of the leaders of the recall campaign against District Attorney Pamela Price. The PAC hasn’t filed a disclosure for all its contributions and expenditures for 2025, but it has logged three big contributions so far, including $25,000 from real estate developer Ronald Nahas, $10,000 from Charles Freiburg, co-founder of the Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center, and $1,000 from Derek Benham, the owner of a wine company. The committee has spent $11,500 on a website and video ads.  

A second committee called “Responsible Leadership for Oakland: Elect Loren Taylor for Mayor 2025” set up by a Genentech executive has not reported any contributions or expenditures.

Other candidates

Seven other people are running for mayor, but only a few have disclosed how much money they’ve raised, likely meaning that some have not raised or spent any money.

• Suz Robinson, the vice president of governance for the Bay Area Council, raised $1,325 between February and March. As of March 1, she hasn’t spent any of it.

• Mindy Pechenuk, an educator and political activist, raised $4,664 between January and March. She’s spent nearly $2,800 on banners and yard signs, among other things.

• Renia Webb, an educator and former chief of staff for Sheng Thao, raised $4,756 in 2024, most of which she spent on a website and campaign kickoff. She has not filed a disclosure for 2025.

Candidates Peter Liu, Elizabeth Swaney, President Cristina Grappo, and Eric Simpson have not disclosed any money they’ve raised or spent.