The shadow campaign for Democratic presidential nomination is well underway
WASHINGTON - Eric Garcetti doesn't carry the star power of political celebrities like Sens. Kamala Harris and Cory Booker when he heads out of state to test the waters of a presidential run, but he does have something else to offer: the financial firepower of Hollywood.
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, DreamWorks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg and others in the entertainment industry helped fuel a political action committee that the Los Angeles mayor used to boost the midterm treasuries of Democrats in states that hold key presidential primaries - and his own political fortunes along the way. The $100,000 that Garcetti's committee sent to each of 11 state parties has earned him a lot of well-placed new friends outside Southern California.
He's far from the only one raining love on Democratic Party organizations and officeholders in states holding early primary
