Parent gets most cash for race

She may not be the incumbent or have the backing of the teachers’ union, but as of Friday, Loretta Zimmerman is the campaign finance queen in the race for the Newport-Mesa school board.

Zimmerman, a Corona del Mar High School parent who is running against longtime board member Judy Franco, led all other candidates with $22,475 in campaign contributions when reports came in last week. By Friday afternoon, six of the seven contestants for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District board had filed their finance statements, and Zimmerman’s total topped the others by a wide margin.

Finishing second in contributions was Karen Yelsey, who is running against incumbent Serene Stokes. Yelsey garnered $16,268 in campaign donations and raised more funds from the community than Zimmerman, who benefited from a $13,500 loan from her husband. Many of the same donors gave money to Zimmerman and Yelsey, both longtime PTA leaders.

“I’m going for the voters who feel there needs to be a change in the district and people who feel they want some youth and energy and new ideas in running the school board,” said Zimmerman, whose youngest child entered the ninth grade this year. “Particularly, what I hear over and over again is that the community seems to want parents who have students in the schools on our school board.”

Yelsey, whose daughter graduated from Corona del Mar High in June, also credited her PTA track record for helping to solicit funds.

“I think there’s a push to get people who understand the schools a little bit more,” she said.

Finishing third in contributions was Franco, who has been on the board since 1980. The veteran amassed $14,202, with City Councilman Tod Ridgeway and school board members David Brooks and Dana Black among her backers. Behind her was Stokes, whose $11,149 also included money from Brooks and Black as well as two members of the Orange County Board of Education.

Sandy Asper, who is running against Zimmerman and Franco and recently won a coveted endorsement from the Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers, had $3,005 in contributions. Four of her contributors listed themselves as teachers in the district, while the union made a nonmonetary donation of prints and fliers.

The candidate with the lowest campaign total was Kimberly Clark, a registered nurse and family therapist who is running for an open seat in November. Clark declared $2,763.02. Her opponent, Michael Collier, was the only candidate whose statement the Orange County Registrar of Voters had not received by Friday afternoon. All finance statements had to be turned in or postmarked by Thursday.

CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FOR NEWPORT-MESA

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

CANDIDATE

$ RAISED

KEY DONORS

Loretta Zimmerman

$22,475

Many families in Corona del Mar school community

Karen Yelsey

$16,268

Many families in Corona del Mar school community

Judy Franco

$14,202

Newport Beach City Councilman Tod Ridgeway; school board members David Brooks and Dana Black; Measure F campaign chairman Mark Buchanan

Serene Stokes

$11,149

School board members David Brooks and Dana Black; Measure F campaign chairman Mark Buchanan; two members of Orange County Board of Education

Sandy Asper

$3,005

Newport-Mesa Federation of Teachers; several Newport-Mesa faculty members

Kimberly Clark

$2,763.02

California Victory Church pastor Neal Doty; several members of medical and health care communities