Kashkari Invests Another $1 Million of His Own Money into Governor's Race

Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari has infused another $1 million of his own money into his campaign.

Friday’s million-dollar addition brings Kashkari’s personal contributions to his gubernatorial campaign to more than $3 million, according to the Associated Press.

The announcement came on Friday, less than one week after Kashkari released a television ad depicting himself saving a child drowning in a pool. The title of the ad is synonymous with his message of Governor Jerry Brown’s “betrayal” of children in California’s failing public schools. “When kids in failing schools begged Jerry Brown for rescue … he betrayed them,” Kashkari says in the ad. 

Fighting for poor and minority children in California “is just that important to Neel,” said his campaign spokeswoman Mary-Sarah Kinner.

Kashkari had reportedly pegged his net worth at less than $5 million prior to the launch of his campaign, and as of September 30, reported that he had less than $700,000 in his campaign war chest, notes the AP. He has since raised an additional $400,000. 

Last Sunday, Republican congressional candidate Dr. Vanila Singh in San Jose endorsed him. Dr. Singh did not make it beyond the June 3 primary. She finished behind Democrat Ro Khanna, who is battling incumbent Democrat Rep. Mike Honda for a seat in California’s 17th Congressional District. The Silicon Valley race has proven to be one of the most unique and expensive races in the Golden State. 

The AP notes that Gov. Brown has nearly $30 million on hand in two campaign accounts that he controls. One of them is for his gubernatorial reelection campaign, and the other is for two ballot initiatives he supports–namely, Propositions 1 and 2. Prop 1 is a $7.5 billion water bond measure, and Prop 2 is the state’s rainy day fund.

A climate change advocate, Brown said global warming was a major factor in the devastating wildfires that tore through San Diego County in May of this year.