If money is the mother’s milk of politics, Sarah Hacker’s campaign for district attorney has abundant resources out fundraising incumbent Keith Fagundes by nearly five-to-one, according to campaign reports required by the state Fair Political Practices Commission.
Whether money alone will be enough to unseat the two-term district attorney is indeterminable at this point. The race is heated with both sides trading charges and abundant political buzz around the county.
Hacker, a former deputy DA and private attorney with the Dias Law Firm in Hanford, listed fundraising of $77,459.97 during the January 1 to April 28, 2022 reporting period, according to her California Form 460.
This compares to Fagundes fundraising of $15,000 in the same period, according to his California Form 460.
Hacker has spent $25,443.66 compared to $29,353.53 for Fagundes, according to the 460s for each candidate. Hacker’s campaign balance is $52,013.31 while Fagundes’ is $21,176.71, according to the 460s.
Notable contributors to Hacker’s campaign include $10,840 total from persons associated with the Dias law firm, two $500 contributions from Kings County Sheriff David Robinson who has endorsed Hacker, $1,000 from Robert Waggle who is suing the county claiming sexual and other forms of harassment by Fagundes, $5,000 from Shirley Hacker, $5000 from Jacob Hower, Simon Hower Inc. Real Estate Appraisal, $100 from Kristine Spikes, $500 from former deputy DA and local defense attorney Carlos Navarrete as well as a $10,000 contribution from the Corporate America Lending Inc., $3,000 from Milk Flow Dairy and $2,500 from Toor Farming, $1,000 from Tal Cloud of Sanger, according to the report.
Fagundes received a $10,000 contribution from the California Correctional Peace Officers Association which also endorsed him, according to the 460s and Fagundes campaign literature. Fagundes also received $1000 from Anthony Azevedo, farmer, $1,000 from Labert Transfer and Storage in Lemoore and $1,000 from Jim Van Nort, according to his 460 report.
The candidates’ fates will be decided in a June 7 primary.