Campaign cash floods OC supervisors races before June 2 primary

A law enforcement union's $213,000 advertising blitz for incumbent Supervisor Katrina Foley and a broad conservative money push signal one of the most heavily funded Orange County supervisors primaries in years, Voice of OC reported Tuesday.

The outcome of the June 2 contest could determine whether Democrats retain their current majority on the county's governing board or Republicans reclaim control — a shift with far-reaching consequences for county governance across Orange County.

The Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs union emerged as the single largest spender across all county supervisors races, having put $213,000 into advertising on Foley's behalf as of April 23, according to Voice of OC. Foley, a Democrat seeking reelection, spent roughly $222,000 from her own campaign committee since the start of 2026 and reported more than $225,000 still in reserve as of April 18.

Her Republican challenger, Assemblywoman Diane Dixon, spent $117,000 over the same period and held more than $232,000 in cash on hand. The Lincoln Club, a conservative donor organization, added $36,000 in independent spending behind Dixon, $18,000 supporting South OC candidate Lucy Vellema, and $11,600 in spending aimed against Foley, Voice of OC reported.

In the 4th District, four candidates are competing to succeed outgoing Supervisor Doug Chaffee. Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut leads in expenditures at $136,000 spent with $117,000 remaining. Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung spent $128,000 but holds the largest cash reserve in that field — $347,000 on hand as of April 18 — giving him a commanding financial advantage heading into the final weeks.

La Habra City Councilwoman Rose Espinoza invested a combined $194,000 in her 4th District campaign through a $150,000 personal loan and $44,000 in nonmonetary contributions from her nonprofit, Rosie's Garage, according to Voice of OC. County Board of Education trustee Tim Shaw has spent about $14,000, having raised only $16,000 in the race.

In the 2nd District, incumbent Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento raised $33,000 and spent $35,000 during the same filing period, leaving more than $125,000 in his campaign account.

Voters across Orange County head to the polls June 2 to decide which candidates advance to the November general election. All campaign finance figures in this report are drawn from disclosures compiled by Voice of OC through late April 2026.