Roskelley Challenger Gets Help Wilkinson Raises $18,000 In Two Months As Other Republicans Lag; Incumbent Has Zero

If money talks, Karl Wilkinson is the clear front-runner in the race to challenge John Roskelley for his job as a Spokane County commissioner.

The Republican and former member of the East Valley School Board has raised more than $18,000 in two months of campaigning, records show.

That’s seven times more than his two rivals for the Republican nomination and almost as much as Roskelley raised during his successful 1996 campaign.

“I’ve felt some real good support, and I am gathering some money,” Wilkinson said recently.

While he hasn’t formally announced his intention to seek a second full term, Roskelley has filed the necessary paperwork with the state Public Disclosure Commission and his Internet Web site contains information about how to contribute to his re-election campaign.

So far, though, he has reported no contributions to the county elections office.

Members of the development community have made it clear they want to defeat Roskelley, a Democrat who has voted against some of their projects and has been critical of many others.

Wilkinson, who works in real estate, is taking advantage of that disenchantment.

So far, he has received a $5,000 donation from the Spokane Home Builders, $1,000 from industrial conglomerate Hanson Industries and another $5,000 from retired business owners Vern and Lorraine Bromling.

Tapio Office Center, partly owned by architect Glen Cloninger, has donated office space to Wilkinson at a value of $5,400.

Wilkinson said he is hoping to appeal to a broad range of voters before his campaign is finished.

“I don’t want all my money to come from the real estate community,” he said.

Roskelley made his name as a world-class mountain climber and is considered a hero to environmentalists, but, by his own admission, he’s a lousy fund-raiser. He raised less than $22,000 in his successful bid for the District 1 seat four years ago.

Efforts to reach him for comment Monday were unsuccessful.

The two other men running as Republicans in District 1 aren’t having as much luck as Wilkinson.

Former county road worker Jerry Hester, the first person to announce a run for the seat, has about $2,000, half of that as a loan from himself.

He spent $1,000 buying a computer from County Commissioner Phil Harris, also a Republican, according to the reports.

Bill Sprague has received a single $500 contribution from Warren and Sylvia Riddle. The Riddles are embroiled in a land-use controversy with the county and have publicly criticized Roskelley.

“It’s very difficult to raise money right now,” Sprague said. “Why? I don’t know.”

The retired businessman said he’s not worried, though.

“Steve Forbes had all those millions when he ran for president, and he didn’t make it,” Sprague said. “It’s the votes that count, the votes.”

Wilkinson, Sprague and Hester will face off in the Sept. 19 primary to see who advances to the Nov. 7 general election.

Financial reports filed April 10 indicate that Roskelley’s fellow commissioner, Kate McCaslin, will seek re-election, even though she hasn’t formally said so.

McCaslin, a Republican who won election to the District 2 seat in 1996, has raised just over $13,000 in the last two months, most of it in the form of donations of less than $200.

“It’s not too early for the smart candidates to be out there raising money,” McCaslin said recently. “If you aren’t out there raising money right now, you’re behind the curve.”

Some in the development community have expressed displeasure with McCaslin’s first term, but she is receiving some support from real estate and business interests.

Developer and attorney Jim Frank has contributed $200 to McCaslin, and she’s received $1,000 from Telect Co. owner Judi Williams. McCaslin also has received $320 from Meidling Concrete Co. and $200 from Contractors Northwest Inc.

McCaslin raised more than $90,000 during her 1996 campaign.

Democrat Bill Burke, who has announced his intention to run for McCaslin’s seat, hadn’t reported any contributions as of April 10.