Democratic Party candidates in the 10th District have brought in double the campaign contributions of their Republican opponents in the month since the primary election, according to a Record review of campaign finance records.
Three 10th District seats are up for grabs in November; two positions in the state House, and the 10th District Senate slot. Campaign records show donations to the three Democrats in those races since Aug. 19 now total $86,338. Contributions to Republican candidates over the same time span total $41,467.
More than a half-million dollars has been spent already in 10th Legislative District races. At the start of this week, more than $809,000 has been raised in the races for two positions in the House and one Senate seat.
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen has raised the most: $207,266. The incumbent, a Camano Island Democrat, has spent $104,109 through Sept. 22, according to campaign finance records on file with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Her Republican opponent, Linda Haddon of Oak Harbor, has raised $124,473 and spent $73,715.
Haugen has raised $33,609 in the month since the primary.
Haddon has raised $9,247. The largest donation was for $800, which came from Georgia-Pacific in Phoenix, Ariz. on Election Day.
Her next biggest donation since Aug. 19 came on Sept. 3; a $700 gift from the Camano Island Women’s Republican Club.
Haugen’s biggest donations since Election Day have been
15 contributions of $800 each from special-interest groups and political action committees, including the Washington Association of Realtors, the Potato PAC, Planned Parenthood Votes, Association PAC and others.
“We’ve raised a lot of money but we’re not done yet,” Haugen said.
Haugen credits GOP commercial
Haugen, who has raised the most money of any candidate in the 10th Legislative District, said Monday that contributions to her campaign have ranged from $3 to $800. She said she was happy with the amount that has been raised, and she has her opponent’s campaign to thank.
She credited a recent television commercial run by Republicans as one of the best things that has happened to her campaign.
“Thank you to the Senate Republicans. People send me money every time they see that hit piece on TV. They know it’s absolutely false,” Haugen said.
“We have a very broad base of support,” she added. “We have big businesses, small businesses, lots and lots of citizens in my district.
“We are doing well and we’ll do better. We’re going to raise more money; we’re not finished,” Haugen said.
Haddon said people should think about the source of the campaign contributions in the race.
“You should consider where contributions come from,” Haddon said. “I believe the majority — by far — of my contributions are from individuals … people like you and me.”
She also said her “in-district” contributions have surpassed those raised by Haugen. “I have outraised the senator $51,988 to $35,918,” Haddon said.
“Since the primary alone, we have outraised her in the district by about $1,000.
“Now, it is true, she has quite the war chest. But her money is not from voters in her district — mine is. That in and of itself brings about a lot of questions.”
Haugen, however, said the size of Haddon’s campaign coffers is largely due to donations made by the Senate Republican Campaign Committee. Campaign finance records show that in-kind donations from the committee — which include signs, staff salaries and consulting — total $50,754.
“Take out that $50,000 and see what else you’ve got,” Haugen said. “Linda isn’t running against me, the Senate Republican caucus is.”
“I’ve got a real mixture,” Haugen said of her contributors.
Gov. Christine Gregoire has been the subject of repeated criticism for accepting contributions from Indian tribes. Haugen acknowledged that she, too, had received tribal money this year.
“Interestingly, four years ago they gave money against me,” she said.
“I’m very open with people,” Haugen added. “The only thing I ever guarantee — whether they give money or not — is that I’ve got an open-door policy. Nobody buys my vote.”
Knue raises the most money
Tim Knue, a Democrat seeking to unseat Republican Norma Smith for the Position 1 seat in the House, has brought in the most campaign cash since the primary, where he pulled in 46 percent of the vote to Smith’s 53 percent. Knue has raised $48,408 since Aug. 19.
Smith has raised $23,935 since the primary. The race was recently listed by the Public Disclosure Commission as one of the top five most expensive races this year for the House of Representatives.
Knue’s biggest gift since the primary was a $35,000 donation from the House Democratic Caucus Campaign on Sept. 3. He also received $10,485 in in-kind contributions from the campaign for research and polling before the primary.
“A big reason why he has the $48,000 total is the state Democrat party cut him a check for $35,000,” said Nathan Gorton, an advisor to the Smith campaign. “What is that, 80 percent of his fundraising?”
Gorton also said Smith took time off from the campaign.
“Unfortunately, Norma had a death in the family, so she was gone for a week, so we lost a week of fundraising time,” Gorton said.
“At the end of the day, we have a plan in place to get the word out to the voters of the 10th District about Norma’s independent record, and I’m confident we’ll be able to fund that plan.”
Gorton also noted the wide variety of sources that have contributed to Smith’s campaign.
“Norma has received more contributions than just about any other member of the state Legislature, and those contributions are from Democrats, Republicans and independents all across the 10th District, just like the endorsements we’ve received. Which just reflects how she believes in governing.”
Smith has also gotten party support. Her campaign received $10,000 from the House Republican Organizing Committee on Sept. 15, and Smith also received a $15,000 donation from the committee on Aug. 5.
Since the start of the year, Knue has raised $149,134 and spent $87,673. Smith has collected $108,725 and spent $67,109.
Knue has received his largest donations — $800 each — since the primary from five sources; Langley resident Lynn Hays, the Northern Attorneys PAC, Puget Sound Citizens for Political Responsibility, the Washington Conservation Voters Action Fund and the Washington Public Employees Association.
Smith’s biggest contributors beyond the House Republicans since the primary have been a $900 donation from Wal-Mart, plus contributions for $800 each from the Big I PAC, Delta Dental Washington Dental Services, Pemco Insurance, Regence Blue Shield, United Subcontractors Association PAC, Washington Health Care Association for Assisted Living, Washington State Dental PAC and the Washington Association of Realtors.
In the race for Position 2 in the 10th District House, Rep. Barbara Bailey has raised $8,285 since the primary. The Democrat in the race, Patricia Terry of Camano Island, has raised $4,321.
Bailey, an Oak Harbor Republican, has raised a total of $117,629. Her campaign has spent $76,343. Terry has raised $72,492 and spent $64,941.
Whidbey sources play a small role
Donations from Whidbey Island sources comprise just a small part of the total amount given to candidates since the primary.
Haugen has raised the most money of any 10th District candidate from Whidbey Island donors since the primary, a review of campaign finance records shows.
Haugen has raised $5,610.
Knue has raised $3,500, while Haddon is third in the amount raised on Whidbey since Aug. 19, with $3,047 in contributions.
Smith has raised $960 from Whidbey sources since the primary, while Terry has brought in $885, and Bailey, $150.
No money coming for PUD candidates
At the other end of the spectrum in the amount of campaign contributions are the candidates for the proposed Whidbey Island public utility district.
Records on file with the state show the five candidates have not raised any money since the first of them filed for office on Aug. 4.
Several candidates said that was by design, however.
“I don’t plan to accept any contributions,” said Georgia Gardner, a candidate for Position 3.
She said she had talked with other candidates and they, too, were planning to do without contributions.
Marshall Goldberg, a candidate for Position 1, also said he will not be seeking or accepting donations.
“I do not intend to actively campaign. I will promote the PUD concept whenever the occasion presents itself,” he told The Record.
Patrick Harmon, a candidate for Position 2, said he was not seeking campaign contributions.
So far, the campaign has consisted of his wife printing out business cards that say he is a candidate.
Newspaper ads to promote the PUD might be an option in the future, he added.
“Neither side has put out unbiased information, and I am not sure my contribution would be perceived as neutral and objective,” he added.
Record writers Michaela Marx Wheatley and Kelsie Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.
