List of Legislative Challengers Grows

Tacoma, WA -

As February quietly chugs along in the week between the February 9th Presidential caucus and the Primary on the 19th, more and more challengers have announced their candidacy for the state legislature. Whether primary fights or direct partisan challenges, the state's candidate roster has grown significantly here in month of February.

As the Columbian reported yesterday, Tim Probst (D-Vancouver), chief executive officer of the Washington Workforce Association, will seek the 17th district seat currently held by Republican Jim Dunn, who is facing a challenge in his own party by Joseph James. Probst has raised just under $22,000 for the race and James has taken in $38,000. Dunn is likely seen as ripe for the picking in the wake of the inappropriate remarks he made late last year to a female staffer resulting in a loss of all his committee assignments.

Worth noting about James' haul is that of the $22,405 in reported donations (the other $15,000+ came from his own committee and through a loan), more than half has come from out of state. James has received $12,637 from outside of Washington. Furthermore, the amount of out-of-state contributors nearly doubles those in his district, 83 to 45. Most live in nearby Portland, OR.

TNT reported yesterday that Gig Harbor Republican Marlyn Jensen will challenge freshman Representative Larry Seaquist (D-Gig Harbor) in the 26th. Jensen has yet to raise any money for her campaign, but she is well-connected in state GOP circuits and according to Chris Mulick has given over 60k to Republican candidates in the past ten years. She'll certainly need their help. Seaquist has raised some $17,000 so far, including a contribution from The New Yorker‘s Seymour Hersh.

There is another busy race in Mason County's 35th District, where Mulick reports that four candidates are vying for the seat of departing Bill "Ike" Eickmeyer, a Democrat. Belfair's Randy Neatherlin and Herb Baze of Shelton will vie for the Republican nomination to take on the winner of Daryl Daugs and Fred Finn, two Democrats from Belfair. Finn leads the way in fundraising with some $55,000, much of it self-financed, Daugs has raised $12,000, and Baze has brought in around 8,000, nearly half of which have come from what he calls "low cost fundraisers." Neatherlin raised all $125.00 of his campaign base on February 8.

Last week the Bellingham Herald reported that Jere Hawn (R-Bellingham), a program manager in WWU's business operations department, will challenge Democrat Kelli Linville in the 42nd District. Linville has raised $14,550 this cycle so far, entirely from corporate contributors, and Hawn is not yet registered with the state's Public Disclosure Commission.

Reuven Carlyle of Seattle will challenge Rep. Helen Sommers this year in the 36th. Sommers is the state's longest serving Democrat. Carlyle has raised $6500, including a $5000 candidate/committee contribution, while Sommers has reported no earnings which adds to the speculation that she will retire at the end of this term. A call to her office revealed that she has still not made a decision on the matter.

Over in Eastern Washington, three Republicans have signed up to replace outgoing Bob Sump (R-Republic). Sue Lani Madsen, an Edwall architect, has raised just under 5000 and received nearly 8000 in "in kind contributions" from her own work on the campaign. Davenport has given 1000 to his own campaign. Kelly White, who just joined the race, has yet to report any contributions.

Primaries will be held across the state on August 19.