Rep. Loretta Sanchez hit a bump in her U.S. Senate campaign last week, saying that between “5 and 20 percent” of Muslims could be willing to participate in terrorism and attracting sweeping criticism from Muslim and immigration rights activists, as reported by The Orange County Register.

But it wasn’t the best week for Attorney General Kamala Harris either, with a National Journal story detailing the Senate race front-runner’s luxury hotel use, campaign staff turnover and disproportionate expense totals.

The race had appeared to be cruising along smoothly for Harris. An October Field Poll showed her ahead of Sanchez, 30 percent to 17 percent, for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Barbara Boxer. Through Sept. 30, the end of the most recent reporting period, Harris had raised $6 million while Sanchez had amassed $1.8 million, including a $300,000 self-loan.

But Harris’ extravagant spending has left the two Democrats much closer in terms of cash balances available: Harris had $3.3 million and Sanchez had $1.6 million.

“Harris’ frivolous spending on airfare, luxury cars and hotels is highly unusual for a Senate candidate that has a relatively competitive race,” an unnamed national Democratic strategist told the National Journal.

The story lists stays at the St. Regis and W hotels in Washington, D.C., the Houstonian in Houston, the Waldorf Astoria in Chicago and the Four Seasons in Boston. It also notes that Harris is on her second campaign manager and third finance director.

Harris’ cushy travel preferences aren’t new, according to a report in The Hill, which detailed travel paid for by her attorney general campaign account since being elected in 2000.

“She treats the campaign like a personal checking account to fund a lifestyle she aspires to,” a former aide told The Hill. Another ex-aide said, “Kamala demands a life of luxury.”

Harris spokesman Nathan Click responded that not only has Harris vastly outraised Sanchez, but she’s raised more than any Democratic Senate incumbent or candidate nationwide this cycle with the exception of Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York.

“Her rigorous travel schedule has allowed her to establish a national fundraising base,” Click said in a statement released to The Hill and the Register. He also said cuts have been made to campaign staff and consultants to reduce expenses.

Sanchez’s travel

Sanchez has attracted attention for travel herself, and it’s been for international trips on taxpayers’ dime.

A Register analysis found that from November 2006 to September 2009, the central Orange County congresswoman took 19 trips at a cost of $83,000, the most of any of the county’s House members.

That was followed by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa, with six trips costing $72,000.

No other county representative spent more than $2,500 in taxpayer money for travel.

Both Sanchez and Rohrabacher said their extensive travel was needed because of committee assignments involving the military and foreign relations.

Rohrabacher’s cost-per-trip was much higher because most were done as individual trips, while Sanchez was usually traveling as part of a congressional delegation. Then as now, Sanchez is on the Armed Services and Homeland Security committees.

Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com; @MartinWisckol