Ryu, Kagi, Chase lead in 32nd District fundraising

By Evan Smith

ShorelineAreaNews Politics Writer

Democratic candidates Cindy Ryu, Ruth Kagi and Maralyn Chase lead 32nd District candidates in fundraising and campaign spending.

Ryu, running for State representative, has raised $55,549 and spent $35,107. Public Disclosure reports show that she has a campaign debt of $15,169. Ryu is running in the Tuesday primary for the position that Rep. Maralyn Chase is vacating to run for the State Senate

Ryu’s fundraising and spending far exceeds the totals of her two opponents Fellow Democrat Doris Fujioka McConnell has raised $17,144 and spent $17,144. McConnell has a campaign debt of $5,200. Republican Art Coday has raised $12,804 and spent $7,760. He reports no campaign debt.

Incumbent Democratic State Rep. Kagi reports raising $43,704 and spending $9,713. Republican opponent Gary Gagliardi has raised $13,730 and spent $8,809. The third candidate, Democrat Stan Lippmann, reports no money raised or spent. None of the three reports any debt.

Senate candidate Chase has raised $24,429 and spent $16,625. Republican opponent David Baker has raised $3,861 and spent $2,336. Democrat Patty Butler reports raising $2,980 and spending $2,688, with a debt of $5,747.

The top two primary vote getters for each position qualify for the November general election.

Top fundraiser Ryu has brought in the maximum contribution of $800 from each of four organizations and six individuals. The organizations: East King County Lawyers for Justice, Northern Attorneys Political Action Committee of Mount Vernon, Puget Sound Citizens for Political Responsibility of Seattle and Service Employees International Union - Health Care of Federal Way. The individuals: Chang Sung Kim of Seattle, Kim Jae Il and Joan Kim of Edmonds, Elaine Phelps and Robert Phelps of Shoreline, and Shim Sang Kug of Everett.

McConnell has one contribution at the $800 level, from Tadashi Fujioka of Steilacom. Republican Coday, a physician, has $800 contributions from five organizations: EyePAC of Seattle, The Gun Owners’ Action League of Bellevue, the Washington Association of Realtors, Physicians’ Insurance of Seattle and the Washington Medical Political Action Committee. His total includes $1,600 from the Washington Medical PAC, $800 for the primary and $800 for the general election. If Coday is eliminated in the primary, he will have to return the $800 designated for the general election.

Kagi, the District’s #2 fundraiser, has $800 contributions from four individuals and 13 organizations. The organizations: Children’s Campaign Fund of Seattle, the Lakewood-based Community Bankers of Washington, the Federal-Way-based Credit Union Legislative Action Fund, the East King County Lawyers for Justice, the Seattle-based education Voters Political Action Fund, the Northern Attorneys Political Action Committee of Mount Vernon, the Puget Sound Citizens for Political Responsibility, the Seattle-based SEIU 925 PAC, the Port-Orchard-based Washington Chiropractic Trust, the Tumwater-based Washington Health-Care Association political action committee, the Seattle-based Washington Hospital Association political action committee, the Seattle-based Washington State Dental PAC, and Waste, Management of Houston. The individuals: Jocelyn Bezos and Miguel Bezos of Mercer Island, Ann Ramsey-Jenkins of Seattle and Linda Wilson of Shoreline. The Credit Union Legislative Action Fund and the Washington Dental PAC each have given Kagi $800 for both the primary and the general election

Republican Gary Gagliardi, running against Kagi, has $800 contributions from two organizations — the Gun Owners’ Action League and the Washington Association of Realtors – and two individuals – Cliff Wilson and Dorothy Wilson of Goldendale.

Democratic State Senate candidate Chase has $$800 contributions from eight organizations and two individuals. The organizations: Campaign for Tribal Self-Reliance/Washington Indian Gaming Association, East King County Lawyers for Justice, the Bothell-based International Union of Operating Engineers #302, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Northern Attorneys Political Action Committee of Mount Vernon, the Puget Sound Citizens for Political Responsibility, the Service Employees International Union - Health Care of Federal Way and the Olympia-based WSBCTC PAC. The Individual donors are Elaine Phelps and Robert Phelps of Shoreline. Elaine Phelps, Robert Phelps and the WSBCTC PAC have each given Chase $800 for the general election in addition to $800 for the primary.

Butler, the other Democratic Senate candidate, has taken $800 each from the Bellevue-based Affordable Housing Council and from Premera Blue Cross of Seattle. Republican Senate candidate Baker has accepted $800 each from the Gun Owners’ Action League, the Trucking Action Committee and the Washington Association of Realtors.