Supervisor Perez Eclipses $500,000 Mark

One of the first campaign finance reports to voluntarily be released comes from Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel ‘Manny’ Perez who raked in more than $550,000 as of Dec. 31, according to Derek Humphrey, his Campaign Manager.

Perez’s complete end-of-year fundraising report will be publicly reported Jan. 31.

“This fundraising success underscores the support our campaign has earned from Democrats, Republicans, independents, businesses, tribes, and labor organizations throughout the region,” Perez said in a prepared statement. “Thanks to donations of all amounts — I am confident we will have the resources to run an effective campaign; one that is focused on the progress we are making to improve the quality of life for everyone living in the Coachella and Palo Verde Valleys. I look forward to continuing this momentum as we begin the next phase of our campaign.”

Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Perez to the District 4 seat in May 2017, which covers the Coachella Valley, until the November 2018 election. He was appointed to fill the seat left vacant in the wake of Supervisor John Benoit’s death in December 2016.

Perez is being challenged by Jan Harnik, a Republican and a member of the Palm Desert City Council.

Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, the son of immigrant farmworkers, Perez attended local public schools and graduated from the University of California, Riverside. He taught at a local middle school, and went on to earn a Master of Education degree in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from Harvard University.

Perez served on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees from 2004 to 2008. He served the region in the California State Assembly for three terms between 2008 and 2014, rising to the role of majority leader. In the Assembly, Perez authored more than 60 pieces of legislation that were signed into law, including bills that helped to create jobs, make neighborhoods safer, improve public schools, and jump-start the local renewable energy industry. Following his service in the State Assembly, Perez was elected to the Coachella City Council. He was appointed to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in May.

Perez resides in Coachella with Gladis, his wife of 20 years. They have two sons, Ruben and Alejandro, who attend UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara, respectively.