In Costa Mesa, the latest campaign finance reports of the 2026 election cycle provide the clearest picture yet of the financial landscape heading into the November municipal elections.
Candidates for mayor and three open city council seats have collectively raised more than $247,000 and reported nearly $145,000 in cash on hand through June 30, according to campaign finance filings posted on the city’s website.
By the Numbers
Those totals include monetary contributions, loans, and nonmonetary contributions reported in the candidates’ Form 460 campaign finance statements.
Mayoral Race
The race for mayor features two sitting council members with significantly different financial positions.
Councilmember Mike Buley, currently representing District 1, enters the second half of the year with a far stronger campaign treasury. Buley has raised $55,225, spent just over $24,000, and reported $33,120 in cash on hand as of June 30. He also reported approximately $4,165 in outstanding debt.
Councilmember Loren Gameros, who currently represents District 2, has raised $14,900, spent nearly $11,900, and reported $3,018 remaining in his campaign account.
At this stage, Buley holds a fundraising advantage of more than $40,000 and maintains more than ten times the cash on hand of his opponent.
District 3
District 3 has become the most financially competitive council race in the city.
City council candidate Daniel Morgan leads all city council candidates (and all candidates overall) in fundraising. Morgan has raised $70,654 over the course of his campaign while reporting $44,449 cash on hand, the largest campaign balance of any candidate currently running for city office. He has spent roughly $26,205 and reported $2,000 in outstanding debt.
Challenger Cara Stewart has also assembled a competitive campaign, raising $27,208.87 while maintaining $18,925.80 cash on hand after spending approximately $8,283.
Morgan currently holds a fundraising advantage of more than $45,000 and more than doubles Stewart’s available cash entering the second half of the campaign.
District 4
The District 4 contest currently shows a relatively modest fundraising environment compared to the other council races.
Angely Andrade Vallarta has raised $11,564, including reported loans and nonmonetary contributions, and has $7,380 cash on hand after spending approximately $4,184.
Fisher Derderian has reported $11,316 raised and $4,157 cash on hand after expenditures totaling just over $7,159.
The two candidates have reported nearly identical fundraising totals, though Andrade Vallarta currently maintains the larger campaign balance.
District 5
District 5 has attracted substantial financial activity from both candidates.
Steve Smith has raised $32,022.75 over the course of his campaign and reports $20,654.41 cash on hand after spending approximately $11,368.
Kelly Brown has raised $24,644.14, spent approximately $11,431, and reported $13,212.83 remaining in her campaign account. Brown also reported $5,500.14 in outstanding loans.
Smith currently leads Brown by roughly $7,400 in total fundraising and about $7,400 in cash on hand.
Looking Ahead
The reports reviewed cover campaign activity through June 30, 2026, offering an early snapshot of the financial strength of each campaign. Additional campaign finance reports will be filed later in the election season, providing voters with a more complete picture of fundraising and spending before ballots are cast in November.
While fundraising does not determine election outcomes, it can influence a campaign’s ability to communicate with voters through mail, advertising, digital outreach, and field operations during the final months of the campaign.
