Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho has impressive fundraising effort

In the last 30 years, Sacramento County has had three district attorneys. Jan Scully served for 20 years, starting in 1994, followed by Ann Marie Schubert, who served between 2014 and 2022, and Thien Ho for the last two years. 

One constant has been that the seated Sacramento District County District Attorney incumbent has not been voted out of office. Given this history and Mr. Ho's high visibility since taking office less than two years ago, his chances of holding the office for multiple terms are excellent.

Notwithstanding the high probability of retaining the office for as long as he likes, Ho has amassed an enormous campaign war chest. In his most recent financial disclosure filed on his California Form 460, Ho collected $234,900 for the six months ending June 30. 

Below is a list of some of Ho's significant contributors, including the American Petroleum & Convenience Store Association, which is tied to Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen. 

Could Ho's large campaign fund, which now stands at $273,399, indicate that he is building up his fund for a higher office, given that he is unlikely to face a viable challenger in 2026? And if so, which offices would be a step up from Sacramento County's top law enforcement official?

California Attorney General Rob Bonta's current term ends in 2026, and given his rumored desire to run for Governor, Ho would be preparing for a run for AG. Of course, if he ran for AG, he could not seek another term as district attorney, and given Ann Marie's failed attorney general bid in 2022 - she didn't make it out of the primary - that could be a risky move. 

What about a run for Congress? Doris Matsui turns 80 next month, and if we have learned anything from the experiences of Diane Feinstein, Donald Trump, and especially Joe Biden, a person's ability to perform their duties for the people becomes a physical challenge.

We aren't suggesting that Congresswoman Matsui currently faces the challenges of those politicians we listed, but she could understandably not seek office again in the next couple of terms. While California Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen, Elk Grove Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen, and even current Congressman Ami Bera could again switch districts are mentioned as possible Matsui replacements, Ho would be well funded and positioned when that time comes, especially if it is during his office's off-election year cycle.

Ho wouldn't become the first local district attorney to ascend to the halls of Congress. Former Republican Congressman Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina District Attorney, became an influential representative when he held hearings grilling former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which led to a lucrative post-congressional gig on Fox News. 

Of course, this amassment of campaign funds could serve one of two practical purposes.

First, a large campaign fund could dissuade a viable 2026 challenger.Or perhaps Ho is building his political machine. What better way to build influence among other elected officials than doling out campaign funds or leveraging that cash as a threat to sponsor a candidate to an officeholder who is not sufficiently obedient to your desires? 

Whatever his use of the money might be, it will be noteworthy to watch how those funds are used in the next few election cycles.