Gotts, with pocket full of cash, steps into 4th CD race

Eastern Washington added a second Democratic candidate in as many days yesterday when White Salmon businessman John Gotts called the Tri-City Herald to announce his run for Doc Hastings' seat in the 4th District.

Gotts told the Herald that he is a "very, very, very pro-business" Democrat who has gone back and forth between the two major parties in his adult life, voting for George W. Bush as recently as 2000 but now supports Barack Obama and American troop withdrawal from Iraq.

Even more interesting, he plans to fully fund his campaign from his own pocket, and says he will forego a salary if elected. He made waves in the internet world in 2006 when he bought the domain name wiki.com for nearly $3 million.

Gotts joins Don Moody (D-Wenatchee) and George Fearing (D-Richland), who outraised Hastings in the 1st quarter, though trails significantly in cash on hand.