Mccaslin Holds Lead In Fund Raising Gop County Commissioner Candidate Has Raised More Than Other Three Combined

It’s too early to count ballots. But if the measure is bucks, Kate McCaslin is the big leader in the race for Spokane County commissioner.

Two seats are up for grabs on Nov. 5.

McCaslin, who defeated incumbent Commissioner Steve Hasson in the Republican primary, has raised more money than the three other candidates combined.

McCaslin has about $66,000, compared with $26,000 for her Democratic rival, Ron Hormann.

Meanwhile, Commissioner John Roskelley has just $15,000. His challenger, Republican Lila Howe, has raised $21,000.

“It’s really difficult for me to … ask people for money,” said Roskelley, a mountaineer. “It always has been, even for Himalayan expeditions.”

Roskelley - and the other candidates - could learn from McCaslin. She has more small donors than Hormann and more big ones, too.

McCaslin’s top-10 donors gave $14,100 to the campaign, compared with $4,810 for the 10 biggest donors to Hormann.

Many of McCaslin’s biggest donors are contractors, developers, Realtors, or groups that represent those interests. That’s not surprising, she said, since her family owns a concrete company and she used to be the executive director of the Associated Builders & Contractors Inc.

“Yeah, I’ve gotten large contributions and they’re from business people,” she said. “I hope it speaks to their belief that I’ve got the leadership ability to get the job done.

“If they didn’t give to me, it would say something.”

McCaslin said she spent much of her money waging a tough primary campaign against Hasson and fellow Republican Don Manning. Hasson raised nearly $50,000.

“Ron didn’t even have a primary,” she said.

Although he hasn’t stopped trying to raise money, Hormann said he isn’t trying to keep pace with his opponent.

“I’m just never going to have as much money as she does,” he said.

Because they have name recognition, incumbents normally have the advantage in campaigns.

Besides being uncomfortable asking for money, Roskelley said he’s been too busy with Courthouse duties to seek donations.

Howe said she’s been “totally amazed” at people’s willingness to give to her campaign.

Although the big donations pay the bills, Howe said it’s the small gifts she appreciates most.

“I get $10 checks in the mail from people I don’t even know,” she said. “To me, that’s true grassroots.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS The four candidates for two Spokane County commission seats have had varying degrees of success at raising money for their campaigns. Here’s how much they’ve raised, along with the biggest donors:

KATE McCASLIN (R): $65,902 Includes: $2,800, Meidling Concrete Co. $2,000, A. Economy Storage $1,900, Spokane County Republican Central Committee $1,200, Donald Jones $1,000 each from Associated Builders and Contractors PAC, Metropolitan Mortgage, Real Estate Traders Club of Spokane, Alvin J. Wolff, Ron Armacost and Sabey PAC

RON HORMANN (D): $26,032 Includes: $1,000, Democratic party $1,000, Terry Lightfoot $500, Robert Turner $400, Lawrence Stone $385, William Franger $350, Warren Heylman $300, Jean Madden $300, Dr. David Hanson $300, Brenda Sims $275, Ed Sharman

JOHN ROSKELLEY (D): $14,650 Includes: $1,000, Washington Water Power Co. $550, Spokane Firefighters Union $500, Real Estate Traders Club of Spokane $500, Kaiser Aluminum $500, U.S. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-San Francisco $500, Metropolitan Mortgage $381, Warren G. Magnuson Democratic Club $300, Washington Conservation Voters $300, Lorna Ream $270, Judith Hutchins

LILA HOWE (R): $20,799 Includes: $1,500, Spokane Affordable Housing PAC $1,000, Metropolitan Mortgage $1,000, Build East $1,000, Bob and Jackie Taigen $900, Cavelier Corp. $700, Mike Hume $500, each from O.H. Williams, Duane Alton, Betty Berg Davis, Raymond Hanson, Stephen Smart and John Becker