Darren Suen Raises $33,000, Amasses $80,000 For First Elk Grove City Council Race

July 28, 2016 |

In his first run for the office he was appointed to in 2014, Elk Grove City Councilman Darren Suen raised $33,826 for the six month period ending June 30, 2016. 

According to information on his California 460 campaign statement filed yesterday with the Elk Grove City Clerk's office, Suen now has $80,535 at his disposal. Appointed to fill the vacancy created upon Jim Cooper's election to the California State Assembly, Suen currently has no announced opponents for the seat.

Travelling the well-worn path of all his City Council colleagues, Suen has tapped home builders, real estate development political action committees (PACs), construction trade unions, City of Elk Grove vendors, and various real estate development interests to build  an overwhelming war chest that discourages other candidates from entering the race. 

Among his largest contributions are the following:

• California Real Estate PAC - $6,000
• Wildan Group (city contractor) - $5,000
• Christo Bardis - $2,500 
• Jon Reynen, Contractor - $2,500
• Committee For Home Ownership - $2,000
• Vintara Holdings - $1,250
• Howard Research & Development (affiliated with Howard Hughes Company) - $1,000 
• JJV Llc - $1,000
• M&H Real Estate - $1,000
• Richland Investments, Irvine , Calif. - $1,000
• Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 447 - $1,000
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - $1,000
• Laborers Local 185 PAC - $500
• Schetter Electric- $500
• John Mourier Construction - $500

For Suen, 53-percent of the cash he generated came from his top five contributors - California Real Estate PAC, Willdan Group, Christo Bardis, John Reynen, and the Committee for Home Ownership.