Chris Kelly puts $4 million more into attorney general bid

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Chris Kelly, the former Facebook executive and current Democratic candidate for attorney general, announced depositing another $4 million of his own money into his campaign. The new infusion doubles Kelly’s total personal investment in the race to $8 million.

In recent weeks, Kelly’s campaign has taken a sharp tone in criticizing one of his primary opponents, San Francisco Dist. Atty. Kamala Harris. The new money means Kelly could take that message to the airwaves via TV ads or pay to have it land it in voter mailboxes. “Politicians shouldn’t be graded on a curve,” he said in a recent interview.

Kelly has never held elective office, making his millions, most recently, as chief privacy officer of Facebook.

There is no major Democratic contest on the June ballot (with no major primary opponents for either Jerry Brown in his bid for governor or for Barbara Boxer in her reelection attempt). That probably will mean a depressed turnout for the six Democrats who have lined up for the attorney general’s job, including former Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo and three state assemblymen, Alberto Torrico (D-Newark), Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) and Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara).

-- Shane Goldmacher in Sacramento