Ben Allen has fund-raising lead over Sandra Fluke in Senate contest

Reporting from Sacramento — Two Democratic attorneys battling for an open state Senate seat in coastal Los Angeles County have been successful at tapping cash from supporters, they reported Thursday.

Ben Allen has a fund-raising lead over Sandra Fluke as the two compete in the November election for the 26^th Senate District seat.

The seat is being vacated because incumbent Ted Lieu Lieu (D-Torrance) decided instead to run for the seat of retiring U.S. Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Beverly Hills).

Allen, a member of the Santa Monica-Malibu school board, reported raising $266,174 during the six-week period ending June 30, and finishing it with $189,251 cash on hand and $69,185 in outstanding debt.

High-profile contributors to Allen include state Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, Los Angeles City Controller Ron Galperin, Manhattan Beach Councilman Mark Burton and Malibu Councilwoman Laura Rosenthal.

Fluke’s campaign raised $189,901 during the period, ending it with $69,901 in her campaign account, but also has $137,645 in outstanding debts, mostly in the forms of loans from herself.

Contributors included former California Treasurer Phil Angelides, New York Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, the political arm of the California Federation of Teachers, Emily’s List and Democratic Activists for Women Now.

Fluke contributed $18,500 to her campaign during the period. Fluke was thrust into the national spotlight in 2012 when conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” for testifying before members of Congress that health insurers should pay for contraception.

Follow @mcgreevy99 for news from Sacramento.