Incumbent Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee raised nearly $900,000 for his reelection in May while Republican challenger Bill Bryant wound up spending more than he took in, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
Inslee ended May with $3.29 million in cash on hand after tallying $891,379 in cash contributions and spending $145,861, according to filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
The state Democratic Party once again wrote the Inslee campaign a big check, this time for $170,000. Thus far, the party has provided nearly $1.2 million in cash and in-kind assistance to help Inslee win a second term. That’s almost one-fourth of the $6 million Inslee has raised since the start of his re-election effort.
Bryant finished May with $617,965 in cash on hand after collecting $123,176 in cash contributions and spending $132,342, according to his campaign finance reports.
Bryant, meanwhile, is still waiting for his first receipt of financial support from the state Republican Party.
If the past is any indication, he may be waiting awhile.
In the 2012 campaign, GOP candidate Rob McKenna received $2 million in cash from the party but none of it started arriving until October of that year. By contrast, the state Democratic Party provided Inslee with roughly $1.5 million in cash with its first check for $200,000 coming in July 2011.
Justin Matheson, Bryant’s campaign manager, said there’s been “discussions” with party officials about providing financial support earlier.
“We would hope so,” he said. “We’ve got our plan. They’ve got their plan.”
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