SHINGLE SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA. Former state Sen. Ted Gaines reported raising $44,950 during the opening months of his 2026 campaign for the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors District 4 seat. Campaign filings show that nearly two-thirds of the money came from five maximum-level donors tied to senior housing and development interests in Sonoma County. The committee spent more than $31,000 during the same reporting period, with major expenditures directed toward consultants, voter guides and campaign operations. The filings offer an early look at the financial and political coalition forming behind Gaines as the June 2 election approaches.
Former California state Sen. and Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines has built a sizable early fundraising advantage in the race for El Dorado County’s District 4 supervisorial seat, according to newly filed campaign finance disclosures.
The committee “Gaines for Supervisor 2026” reported raising $44,950 between Jan. 1 and April 18 while spending $31,046.94 during the same period. The campaign closed the reporting window with $36,868.64 cash on hand and no outstanding debt.
District 4 is currently represented by Supervisor Lori Parlin on the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors, the county’s five-member governing body overseeing budgets, land-use policy and county operations.
The filings reveal that Gaines’ fundraising operation relied heavily on a small cluster of high-dollar contributors connected to business, development and political circles outside El Dorado County.
Five donors from Sonoma County and the North Bay each contributed $5,900 — the apparent maximum individual contribution level — accounting for $29,500 total, or roughly two-thirds of all money raised during the reporting period.
Those contributors included:
- Molly Flater
- Scott Flater
- Cynthia Gallaher
- Will Gallaher
- William Gallaher
Additional major donors included Sacramento-area developer Charles Demmon, attorney Stuart Casillas and Ron Mittelstaedt, president of Waste Connections.
The campaign also received support from Personal Insurance Federation of California Agents & Employees PAC and numerous donors tied to insurance, engineering, real estate and Republican political organizations.
Local contributors from El Dorado County included:
- Doug Veerkamp
- Todd White
- Robert Reeb
- Brian Frazier
- Heather Masten
The spending side of the report shows the campaign investing heavily in consultants, campaign literature and slate mailers aimed at targeted voting groups.
Among the campaign’s largest expenditures were payments to Gilliard, Blanning, & Associates, Inc. totaling roughly $9,570 and multiple consulting payments to Capital Development Strategies.
The campaign also spent thousands on placements in voter guides and slate mailers, including:
- COPS Voter Guide
- Budget Watchdogs
- Senior Advocates
- California Voter Guide
Gaines’ campaign messaging has focused heavily on public safety, limiting development, fiscal conservatism and protecting the county’s rural identity. On his campaign website, Gaines states he will “protect District 4’s country feel and keep big-city problems far away.”
The former legislator has also secured endorsements from several prominent Republican and law enforcement figures, including retired and current sheriffs, District Attorney Vern Pierson and multiple county elected officials.
Campaign filings are public records maintained under California’s Political Reform Act and are filed through the state Fair Political Practices Commission reporting system.
Readers can review committee filings through The Ballot Book campaign finance database and through the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
Donations
EXPENSES
The campaign committee for Ted Gaines — “Gaines for Supervisor 2026” (FPPC ID 1478940) — reported spending $31,046.94 between Jan. 1 and April 18, 2026, according to California Form 460 filings. The overwhelming share of spending went toward consultants, voter guides, campaign materials, office operations, and filing-related costs.
Top Spending Categories
The campaign’s largest expenses fell into several major buckets:
- Campaign consultants (CNS): More than $8,600
- Campaign literature and voter guides (LIT): More than $11,200
- Campaign paraphernalia/miscellaneous (CMP): More than $8,400
- Office expenses (OFC): Recurring operational costs throughout the filing period
- Professional services (PRO): Accounting and related services
- Fundraising-related expenses (FND): Event and consulting costs
- Web and technology (WEB): Digital campaign infrastructure
Largest Individual Payments
Among the biggest reported expenditures:
- Gilliard, Blanning, & Associates, Inc. received:
- $1,250
- $1,250
- $5,820
- $1,250
Total: $9,570
- Capital Development Strategies received multiple consulting payments totaling roughly $4,891.
- COPS Voter Guide received $3,608 for campaign literature placement.
- Budget Watchdogs received $2,346.
- Senior Advocates received $2,065.
- California Voter Guide received $1,430.
Recurring Vendors
Several firms appeared repeatedly throughout the filing:
- eFundraising Connections handled repeated office and fundraising-related transactions, mostly small recurring charges.
- Integrated Solution:Political received recurring $150 office-expense payments.
- The KAL Group, Inc. handled professional services and accounting work.
Filing and Administrative Costs
The committee also reported payments tied directly to election administration:
- El Dorado County Registrar of Voters received:
- $648.97
- $835.50
Total: $1,484.47 in filing-related expenses.
- USPS received $444.50 for postage and delivery.
- Shutterfly received $406.84 for office-related materials.
Voter Guide Strategy
The filings show a substantial investment in slate mailers and voter-guide placements targeting niche voting blocs and issue-oriented audiences, including:
- Asian American Pacific Islander Voter Guide
- No Party Preference Voter Guide
- Election Digest
- Senior Advocates
- Budget Watchdogs
Combined, these slate mailer and literature expenses exceeded $11,000 during the reporting period.
Unpaid Bills and Accrued Expenses
The campaign reported accrued consulting expenses from Capital Development Strategies totaling $2,415.01 that were incurred and then paid during the same reporting period, leaving no remaining unpaid balance at the close of the filing window.
Bottom Line
The filing reflects a campaign heavily reliant on:
- political consultants,
- slate mailers and voter guides,
- operational support vendors,
- and recurring compliance and fundraising infrastructure.
The largest concentration of spending centered on voter outreach, consultant services, and campaign promotional materials as the 2026 supervisor race began ramping up.
