Details have been released about the donations pouring into the campaigns of the three candidates for mayor as well as two candidates for Ceres City Council with Gary M. Condit leading fundraising efforts.
Political candidates in California are required by the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) to file Form 497 within 24 hours after receiving donations of at least $1,000.
Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez reported on Sept. 25 receiving a $1,500 donation from the Alvarado Gil for Senate 2026 campaign – an interesting donation given that state Senator Marie Alvarado Gil is being sued by the father of Ceres mayoral candidate Gary M. Condit.
Chad Condit was fired last year as the senator’s chief of staff and he is suing her for sexual harassment and conducting a hostile workplace.
Lopez’s campaign also reported receiving $1,000 from the Republican Party of Stanislaus County on Sept. 11 and $1,500 on Aug. 19.
On Form 460, the first pre-election campaign finance report, Lopez reported receiving $11,989 in total contributions from July 1 to Sept. 21 and spending $10,842.29. He reported receiving $16,139 from Jan. 1 through June 30 and spending $15,057.57 in that time.
Donations included $1,289 from the Modesto City Firefighters Association Local 1289; $1,000 from Irma Lopez of Ceres; $500 from CCAP of Modesto; $1,000 from George’s Gas & Grill of Ceres; $1,000 from Magic Market of Ceres; $500 from Sumary Market of Modesto; $500 from Ahmed Faisal Nashal of Super Burger Drive In of Ceres; $2,000 from Abdo Ahmed of Maze Budget Meats of Modesto; $100 donations from both Max Waldorf of Ceres and George Gonzalez of Modesto; $500 from Los Amigos Tires of Manteca; and $2,000 from George’s Wireless of Ceres.
In the latest disclosures required by the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), Lopez reported giving the following civic donations from his campaign funds – $400 to St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Ceres; $1,200 to Special Olympics of Northern California; $1,500 to Central Valley High School Athletics; $189 to the Central Valley High School Hour-a-Thon; $850 to the Ceres Police SWAT Association.
Lopez also reported paying five individuals amounts ranging from $300 to $600 for campaign consultant services. One of them was Irene Ortiz doing business as Ground Up Productions. Ortiz is also a Chamber of Commerce official who worked with Lopez on the “Bridging the Gap” workshop.
Mayoral candidate and Councilwoman Rosalinda Vierra reported receiving $2,629, including $1,931.86 she loaned her own campaign. She reported receiving $1,000 from Hardeep Gill of Hilmar; $500 from Richard Anderson of Modesto; $200 both from retired MJC secretary Geri Vargas of Ceres and Manjeet Dosanjh of Modesto; $189 from retired school secretary Rosaline Honnes; and $100 donations apiece from Eileen Stokman, Pam Thornberry, Emerson Drake.
Among her expenditures was $1,000 for a campaign statement, and assorted amounts for signs and flyers.
Gary M. Condit, a member of the politically connected Condit family, reported raking in $15,805 from Aug. 6 to Sept. 21, and spending $6,393.95. His campaign wrapped up the filing period with an ending cash balance of $14,048 and an outstanding debt of $4,637.89.
Donors include $2,000 from Northern California Carpenters Regional Council POWER PAC in Sacramento. Former Ceres Mayor Louis Arrollo donated $1,000 on August 7 and $1,000 on Sept. 9. Condit’s campaign also received $2,000 from his great uncle Buck Condit’s supervisorial campaign; $500 from Mel-Delin Dairy of Turlock and David Mullins of Oakdale; $300 from Cody Boyles, a legislative advocate in Sacramento and from Jasbir Singh of San Ramon; $1,000 donations from Kathleen Casey, a family friend and wife of Councilman James Casey, and from Paul Caruso, a former county supervisor; $2,500 from his brother’s Channce Condit’s Supervisor 2028 campaign committee;
$225 from Randy Cerny; $500 donations from former Congressman Tony Coelho, Brock Condit and Erick Winchester; $200 donations from Gloria Hall, Robert Hall, Tom Letras, Mark Mello, John Warren and Manjit Sandhu; and $100 donations from Shelia Brandt, Elena Green, Phil de la Porte, Sacramento consultant Matt Moretti, Bryan Nicholes of Buckeye, Ariz.,
Condit’s expenditures have included $2,669 in campaign signs, $1,968 in printed literature and the $1,000 candidate statement printed in the Voter Guide.
In the District 3 Ceres City Council race, incumbent Bret Silveira is being challenged by Planning Commissioner Cerina Otero.
Silveira reported receiving $5,300 between July 1 and Sept. 21, for a total of $8,550 up to the last filing report. He also reported spending $12,744.11.
In August Silveira filed three Form 497 reports for donations of $1,000 apiece from Gary Baird of Oakdale, McFFA Local 1289 PAC of Modesto and Central Valley Hospice Care, Inc.
Silveira also reported receiving donations from the following: $1,000 from Noble Hospice, Inc.; $500 each ffrom Wyatt Insurance, Councilman James Casey; Stanislaus Impact Republicans and Taylor Studios; $200 from former city manager Tom Westbrook; and $100 from Pat Kimes.
Silveira’s campaign expenditures include $4,386.94 in political signs, the $1,000 campaign statement in the Voter Guide, $2,680.85 for the printing of mailers and door hangers, $3,767.44 for mailing lists and postage and a $500 event sponsorship for the Ceres High School Boosters Club.
In the previous filing period, Silveira reported receiving $250 from Try-Us Transportation, $255 from GB Truck Lines, Inc., $250 from White Hawk Carriers, $200 from S.K. Express, Inc., $500 from Bhatti Builders, $300 from Don Goudeau, $500 from Dan Costa of Modesto, $250 from brother John Silveira, $250 from Richard and Isabel McKay and $500 from Pattar Brokerage.
His challenger, Cerina Otero reported receiving $5,840 from July 1 to Sept. 21 for a combination of $7,240 in donations this year. As of the filing date her campaign had spent $3,974.35 on the campaign.
Her latest donations included $3,000 from the Latino PAC of Stanislaus; $1,000 from the Northern California Carpenters Union; $200 each from former Mayor Louie Arrollo and Jose Gonzalez; and $100 each from John Warren, Betty Tyner, Ismael Ontiveras, Tom Letras and Maribel Ladd of Denair.
Otero collected $1,400 from April 4 to June 30, including: $1,000 from Gill Brothers, Inc. of Hilmar, $250 from the International Association of Machinists Local 1528 and $100 from Eva Marie Martinez of Salinas. She loaned her campaign $50.
Oteros’ campaign expenditures include $500 for printing literature, $550 for a fundraiser event, $1,000 for a candidate’s statement in the Voter Guide and $1,338.02 in signs.
Councilman Daniel Martinez, who is unopposed opponents in the November election, reported amassing $7,084 in campaign donations through Sept. 21 and making $5,309 in expenditures, some of it for civic donations such supplies for the upcoming Trunk or Treat event.
