Thousands of dollars are backing two longtime Sacramento insiders, who have stepped into the limelight in a race to represent Silicon Valley in the California Legislature.
Patrick Ahrens and Tara Sreekrishnan are vying to represent State Assembly District 26. The candidates’ financials through June 30 show Sreekrishnan has more than $20,000 more cash on hand than Ahrens, though they’re close in total money raised and used. Assembly District 26 covers Cupertino, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and parts of San Jose.
Ahrens, board member of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, led the primaries with 25,057 votes, or 34.4%, with Sreekrishnan, who sits on the Santa Clara County Board of Education, trailing second with 19,617 votes, or 26.9%.
Since then, both candidates have been drumming up support. Throughout the election, Sreekrishnan has raised $703,876, with Ahrens close behind at $672,300. Sreekrishnan’s $50,000 loan is the difference between the candidates. Between Feb. 18 and June 30, Sreekrishnan raised $389,876 and Ahrens raised $304,324.