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They’re in the money

Greyson Howard
Sierra Sun

The race for Placer County Fifth District supervisor continues to heat up as new campaign contributions and divisive issues fuel the flames.

The race is down to two ” incumbent Bruce Kranz and challenger Jennifer Montgomery ” after the June 3 primary weeded out would-be challenger Bob Houston. Financial contributions have been coming in faster since the primary, and issues like the Kings Beach’s Commercial Core project have galvanized supporters for both candidates.

Campaign statements filed with Placer County on July 29 had Kranz’s campaign cash balance at $60,367 and Montgomery’s at $52,206. Montgomery numbers show she is bridging a gap that was much larger earlier in the race.



“Obviously we’re very pleased with how the campaign is going, and the result itself on June 3 being the top vote-getter,” said Rob Haswell, Montgomery’s campaign manager.

Montgomery received 41 percent of primary votes, Kranz 37, and Houston 22 percent. Because none of the candidates won a majority of the vote in June, a run-off between the top two vote getters will be held in the general election this fall.



Meanwhile, much of Montgomery’s contributions have come in since the primary, nearly $50,000 in less than a month, Haswell said.

Kranz said the financial shift occurred when he took a strong stance against three lanes through Kings Beach, which Montgomery has come out in favor of.

“As a result of me standing up against gridlock a number of people in Kings Beach have given a huge influx of money to Montgomery,” Kranz said. “But the issue is much more important than the money.”

Haswell said Montgomery’s stance is to give the people a voice, and believes the majority are in favor of three lanes ” thus her position.

“We really feel there was a consensus of the development community, the business community, environmental, family advocacy and in the community forums and workshops,” Haswell said.

Kranz said some of Montgomery’s resulting contributions from the Kings Beach issue have come from developers. Similar developer contributions to Kranz’s campaign have been used against him in the past by his critics, he noted.

“One Kings Beach developer gave her $2,000,” Kranz said.

Haswell, however, said that 98 percent of the funds Montgomery has received continue to be small individual contributions, which he said reflects broad community support.

Kranz said he is looking forward to clarifying both his and his opponent’s points of view on a number of Placer County issues from development to wildfire.

“I’m about ready to challenge her to an old-fashioned Lincoln-Douglas debate ” I want to ask her questions and she can do the same for me,” Kranz said. “It’s going to be a wild and woolly challenging situation.”


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