Inslee reports negative cash balance

OLYMPIA – Democrat Jay Inslee has burned through his campaign cash, as Washington state’s competitive race for governor enters the final week.

Inslee reported in disclosure filings that he had a negative account balance of about $50,000 as of Monday. Campaign spokesman Sterling Clifford said Wednesday that the campaign still has cash to spend after raising $60,000 on Tuesday, with more coming in. And he noted the campaign has already paid for ads through Election Day.

“It’s about when and how you spend money,” Clifford said. “I can point to a lot of high-spending Republican losers, and …

OLYMPIA – Democrat Jay Inslee has burned through his campaign cash, as Washington state’s competitive race for governor enters the final week.

Inslee reported in disclosure filings that he had a negative account balance of about $50,000 as of Monday. Campaign spokesman Sterling Clifford said Wednesday that the campaign still has cash to spend after raising $60,000 on Tuesday, with more coming in. And he noted the campaign has already paid for ads through Election Day.

“It’s about when and how you spend money,” Clifford said. “I can point to a lot of high-spending Republican losers, and next Wednesday I’ll point to one more.”

Rob McKenna’s campaign lists $250,000 in cash left to spend as of Monday, and that’s after accounting for reserved ad time.

The Republican has raised a total of about $13.4 million this election cycle, ahead of Inslee’s $11.7 million. Meanwhile, outside groups have spent more money on negative campaigning in opposition of McKenna than Inslee by a margin of $8.2 million to $7.6 million.

The campaign is one of the nation’s most competitive, with a recent poll showing the candidates tied. Republicans haven’t won a governor’s race in Washington since 1980.