Democratic candidates are outraising their opponents in all three Encinitas races heading into the Nov. 3 election, the San Diego Union-Tribune first reported Wednesday.
Mayoral challenger Rimga Viskanta, a trustee on the San Dieguito Union High School District board, has raised $80,270 through the Oct. 17 filing period, the Union-Tribune reported. That is nearly double the $42,177 raised by incumbent Mayor Bruce Ehlers, an Independent first elected in 2024.
The fundraising gap extends to both council district races. In the open District 3 seat, Arielle Golden reported raising $35,696, compared with $16,350 for Ed Sprague. In District 4, challenger Brad Lefkowits reported $47,348, more than double the $17,586 raised by appointed Council Member Marco San Antonio.
Two political action committees have also weighed in, according to the Union-Tribune. One group backed Ehlers, Sprague and San Antonio. The other supported Golden and opposed San Antonio and Ehlers.
Encinitas council races are officially nonpartisan, but party affiliations have shaped recent elections. In 2024, candidates who campaigned on fighting state housing mandates defeated the city's then-Democratic council majority. Ehlers unseated incumbent Mayor Tony Kranz that year, winning 52% to 48%, according to The Coast News.
The full candidate-by-candidate financial breakdown is in the Union-Tribune's report. Campaign finance documents are also available through the city's elections page.
