GOP Hopes for Turning the Peninsula Red Face Money Problems

Inspired by the historic victory of Republican Jim Walsh in the 19^th Legislative District, the Washington House Republican Caucus has visions of the rest of the Olympic Peninsula turning red.  Democrats with the advantage of incumbency stand in the way, armed with a huge cash advantage.

Republican Jim McEntire, a former Clallam County Commissioner, is challenging four-term incumbent Democrat Steve Tharinger for the 24^th District Position 2 seat in the House of Representatives.  McEntire failed in 2010 to beat Tharinger in the Democrat’s inaugural run for the legislature.  Tharinger is also a former Clallam County Commissioner and chairs the powerful House budget committee.

The 19th Goes Red

In 2016, despite a $100,000 fundraising disadvantage, Republican Jim Walsh upset incumbent Democrat Teresa Purcell. He was the first Republican elected in the 19th since the mid-1980s.

The economic struggles of the area helped him over the top. And then there was Trump.

The 19th covers parts of Grays Harbor, Lewis, Cowlitz, Pacific and Wahkiakum Counties.

Three of those counties—Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Cowlitz—voted for Trump. Trump’s victory in Grays Harbor was the first Republican win there since Herbert Hoover.

McEntire has raised 2/3 of his funds from individuals. The House Republican caucus has kicked in $5,000.

Tharinger’s contributions show the advantages of a four-term incumbency and chairmanship of the powerful budget committee. He started with $16,000 in the bank and has raised $36,000 for this race. Less than a third of those contributions come from individuals. More than a third comes from political action committees, with most of the rest from businesses and $3,100 from unions.

Tharinger has spent only $1,000. He has barely begun campaigning.

In our previous report on the Chapman-Wilke race, we reported how Chapman has been piling up a huge number of endorsements and held a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage. We understated that advantage by omitting what he had in the bank at the start. Based on current PDC data, Chapman has available about $54,000 in cash. He also has barely begun his campaign.

Chapman’s opponent, Wilke, has raised $15,000, and already spent $8,000.

The House Republican Caucus has yet to contribute anything to her campaign.

Right now, McEntire and Wilke are quite visible and active. Their signs are already up and they are busy with campaign events and appearances across the district. They have not faced much competition for the spotlight. That will change when Tharinger and Chapman hit the trail and start spending their piles of campaign cash.