Campaign money flowing

OLYMPIA – It’s been a busy couple of months for some local political candidates, judging by their fundraising reports. Consider:

•Two Spokane Republicans, businessman Kevin Parker and optometrist Mel Lindauer, are locked in an expensive face-off to determine who will challenge 6th District Democratic state Rep. Don Barlow, D-Spokane.

•Democratic challenger John Driscoll has raised nearly as much as the lawmaker he’s trying to oust, Spokane Republican state Rep. John Ahern.

•Spokane attorney and judge Debra Stephens, despite only a few months on the job as Washington’s newest Supreme Court justice, has raised more than $65,000 for her re-election campaign this year. That’s far more than anyone else running for the high court.

“I feel like we’re on pace with where we want to be,” said Parker, who’s trailing Lindauer slightly in fundraising. Both, however, are well ahead of Barlow, who like most state officials was barred by law from raising money during the recent legislative session.

Farther afield, Okanogan County rancher Peter Goldmark has outraised his opponent, state lands commissioner Doug Sutherland. And Shelly Short, a late but well-known entry into the race for an open 7th district legislative seat representing the state’s rural northeast, has already outraised opponents who’ve been campaigning for months.

Here’s a look at the money flowing into some local and statewide races (numbers are rounded):

Governor: Republican challenger Dino Rossi has raised $4.4 million to Gov. Chris Gregoire’s $6 million. After the session “freeze” on fundraising, Gregoire last month raised twice as much as Rossi.

Attorney general: Incumbent Republican Rob McKenna has raised $814,000 but spent half of it, campaign reports show. Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg, a Democrat who recently entered the race, has raised $149,000.

Superintendent of public instruction: Incumbent Terry Bergeson has raised $79,000 to challenger Rich Semler’s $60,000. A third major candidate, former lawmaker Randy Dorn, recently joined the nonpartisan race but won’t have to file his first report until June.

State treasurer: Democrats Jim McIntire and Chang Mook Sohn have about $70,000 each; Republican Allan Martin has raised $38,000.

Supreme Court: In addition to Justice Stephens’ $65,000, Justice Charles Johnson has raised $11,000. In what’s likely to become a much more expensive race, Justice Mary Fairhurst has raised about $40,000 to challenger Michael Bond’s $5,000.

In local legislative races:

•In 6th district race, Parker and Lindauer have raised $36,000 and $43,000 respectively. Barlow has raised $24,000.

Parker said he’s not worried. He noted that most of Lindauer’s contributions came from other parts of the state. The vast majority of Parker’s contributions are from Spokane-area supporters.

Lindauer says the support from around the state shows that he’s widely respected. He also said that his supporters are a mix of Republicans and Democrats, which would help in Democrat-controlled Olympia.

•Also in the west Spokane area, Driscoll has raised $18,000 to run against Rep. Ahern, who’s raised nearly $21,000.

•In central Spokane, Republican Michael Novak trails Rep. Timm Ormsby, D-Spokane. Novak has about $4,000 to Ormsby’s nearly $29,000.

•To the east, Spokane Valley Democrat Linda Thompson trails state Rep. Larry Crouse, R-Spokane, $1,300 to Crouse’s nearly $12,000.

•Also in the Valley area, Republican attorney Matt Shea has a strong cash lead in his bid for the seat of retiring state Rep. Lynn Schindler, R-Otis Orchards. Shea’s raised nearly $22,000. Other Republicans seeking the seat include Diana Wilhite, with about $9,800 raised, and Ray Deonier, with $850. Democrat Timothy Hattenburg has raised $5,800.

•Democrat Judi Owens has raised nearly $23,000 – and spent about half that – in her attempt to oust Sen. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane Valley. He has about $27,000.

“We’re just really getting started with our serious fundraising,” Owens said Wednesday.

•And in the sprawling 7th district, Short has raised nearly $31,000 in the first month of her campaign for retiring Rep. Bob Sump’s seat. Among the other Republicans running for the seat, architect Sue Lani Madsen has raised nearly $19,000 and Peter Davenport has raised about $1,400.