Mayor Dennis Donohue has amassed the race's richest war chest with nearly $45,000 as of the Oct 5 disclosure deadline. Donohue has spent more than $70,000, even though one of his opponents, Bill Freeman, has raised nothing according to the lastest disclosures, and another, Margaret Serna Bonetti, lists just $3885 in loans and donations.

The  Salinas Valley Leadership Group is the single biggest player in the race. Led by contractor Don Chapin, the group, which formed earlier this year to develop and nurture business-oriented candidates,   reports nearly $100,000 in total contributions.

It has poured nearly $30,000 into the race, including $5,000 for Donohue. Nearly half of the group's contributions to the Salinas municipal race—$14,500—have gone to District 5 City Council candidate Kimbley Craig, who faces incumbent Steve Villegas and Jesse Santibanez in the Nov. 2 contest.

Craig, a marketing consultant, who grew up in Pebble Beach,  has raised more than $32,000. Nearly two-thirds of her contributors hail from outside the city; most are Peninsula residents.

Councilman Villegas has picked up just $6,300 in contributions, including funding from land use attorneys Lombardo and Gilles, the building trades union, and a $100 contribution from fellow council candidate Joel Panzer who's challenging Janet Barnes.

Jesse Santibanez lists only $100 in campaign cash.

Nursery owner and Salinas Planning Commissioner Steve McShane, who is challenging incumbent Janet Barnes in District 3, is the second biggest fundraiser in the race with $36,555, including  a $10,000 assist from the SVLG. He's received support from ag heavyweights like Rick Antle of Tanimura and Antle, and Taylor Farms' Howard Leach. McShane has also taken in a $500 contribution from former Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Poizner's Poizner Family Trust.

Also in the race is retired Salinas police officer Joe Gunter, whose fundraising includes a $3,000 loan to his own campaign, and  $17,000 in cash and in-kind contributions, and land use consultant Joel Panzer, who has raised a little more than $3,000 in donations and loans.

Incumbent Janet Barnes, who is fresh from an unsuccessful primary run for the state assembly, had raised $7578, with donations from Senatorial candidate Anna Caballero and Lombardo and Gilles.