A high-stakes battle for an open seat on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors is intensifying as independent spending takes center stage just two weeks before the primary election.
Per the Press Democrat, a political action committee funded by a prominent local developer’s daughter has poured 150-thousand dollars into a billboard and ad campaign backing Cloverdale Vice Mayor Todd Lands.
Lands faces tough competition from retired Santa Rosa Police Chief Tom Schwedhelm, who leads direct campaign fundraising with heavy backing from local business and law enforcement networks, and former Cloverdale Mayor Melanie Bagby, who commands strong grassroots and labor union support.
Political experts note that while direct fundraising has been relatively modest, outside spending is expected to surge if no candidate wins an outright majority on June 2nd, forcing a November runoff.
