Despite their outspoken criticism of the ultra-wealthy, candidates affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America in Los Angeles are benefiting from financial contributions from billionaire donors. Their campaign rhetoric, which often targets the very wealthy they profess to oppose, seems at odds with their fundraising activities.
An email from DSA-LA urged residents of Los Angeles to support candidates committed to challenging ICE, billionaires, and the Trump administration. This appeal stands in stark contrast to the fundraising tactics employed by some of these candidates.
The promotional material, which also invited supporters to attend a rally with Senator Bernie Sanders advocating for a tax on the super-rich, positions the movement as a grassroots rebellion against elitist influence.
Yet, financial disclosures reveal that several candidates have received contributions from the billionaire class they criticize. Among them is Los Angeles City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, whose donor list includes individuals from some of the nation’s wealthiest families.
One notable donor is Susan Pritzker, a philanthropist connected to the Hyatt hotel fortune, who has contributed multiple times to Hernandez’s campaigns. According to the Los Angeles City Ethics website, Pritzker donated $500 in 2025, with previous contributions of the same amount in 2023 and during Hernandez’s initial campaign in 2021.
Among them: Philanthropist Susan Pritzker, who married into the Hyatt hotel fortune. Records on the Los Angeles City Ethics website show Pritzker contributed $500 in 2025, after earlier donations of $500 in 2023 and again during Hernandezâs initial 2021 campaign.
Patty Quillin â billionaire Democratic mega donor and wife of Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings â also appears as a repeat contributor. Filings show Quillin has written multiple checks to Hernandez.
Another high-profile name: Elizabeth Simons, heir to the late hedge-fund titan Jim Simonsâ multibillion-dollar fortune. The progressive megadonor has also contributed to Hernandez, according to ethics filings.
The billionaire-adjacent money doesnât stop with one campaign.
Quillinâs donations extend to other DSA-aligned candidates, including Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez and newly elected lefty Ysabel Jurado, who have also received checks from the same deep-pocketed donor network.
In all, Simons has contributed $59,500 to DSA-aligned candidates since 2022. Pritzker has donated $76,800 to Los Angeles elections since 2021, including support for Mayor Karen Bass. Quinlin has contributed $173,200 to L.A. races over the same period, including $35,000 to Eunisses Hernandez through the PAC Communities in Support of Eunisses Hernandez for City Council 2022.
The influx of high-dollar support has helped DSA-aligned campaigns build formidable war chests. Hernandez has raised $213,727 so far, leading her field. Challenger Maria Lou Calanche has brought in $134,710, while Raul Claros trails with $60,813.
Soto-Martinez has also opened a sizable fundraising gap in his reelection bid, reporting $109,189.27 compared with roughly $29,048 for his nearest challenger.
In the City Attorney race, DSA-aligned candidate Marissa Roy has amassed $462,664.39, positioning her as a major contender against incumbent Hydee Feldstein Soto, who reports $686,334.51 in campaign funds.
