Incumbents Huizar And Parks Hold Fundraising Advantage In L.A. Council Races

​The incumbents have the edge in fundraising in the two most hotly contested L.A. City Council races, according to finance reports filed this evening with the Ethics Commission.

On the Eastside, Councilman Jose Huizar has $123,000 in the bank as his re-election campaign gets down to the final 12 days. That's double the $61,000 held by his opponent, Rudy Martinez.

In South L.A., Councilman Bernard Parks holds a narrower advantage over his union-backed opponent, Forescee Hogan-Rowles.

Parks has $89,000 on hand to Hogan-Rowles' $53,000. But that does not tell the whole story, as Hogan-Rowles' union allies are heavily outspending Parks with an independent expenditure campaign.

In total, Hogan-Rowles and her labor allies spent $705,000 over the last month while Parks and his business allies spent $223,000.

Hogan-Rowles, a former DWP commissioner who runs a South L.A. non-profit, got little traction with her own fundraising until the unions endorsed her. All last year, she raised only $18,000. But just in the last month, she brought in $60,000.

Over the same period, Parks raised $133,000, as his backers rallied to compete with labor's independent campaign.

Huizar and Martinez have been less active in fundraising over the last month. Huizar collected $24,000 while Martinez -- who has largely self-funded -- brought in just $12,000.

The election will be held on March 8.