OLYMPIA — Republican Dino Rossi raised $920,000 in March to draw significantly closer to Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire in money raised for the governor’s race.
Rossi reported having $2.6 million in cash on hand at the start of April, according to finance reports filed Thursday with the state Public Disclosure Commission. He’s raised $3.8 million since entering the race in October.
Gregoire, meanwhile, raised $9,500 in March and reported $2.8 million on hand in her campaign’s finance filing. She was legally prevented from raising money during the legislative session.
“We’ve essentially done in five and a half months what it took her three and a half years to do,” Rossi said.
He said the campaign tracks its number of contributors and is up to 27,000 different donors. He said more than half did not help him financially in 2004.
In Everett on Thursday, Gregoire expressed no concern on the close totals at this stage.
Gregoire raised $4.7 million prior to the legislative session. Though lawmakers adjourned March 13, she directed her campaign staff to not solicit donors until she finished acting on hundreds of bills, a process that wrapped up last week.
She said an online fundraising effort this past week netted nearly $40,000. “We’re just getting started,” she said.
Her cache will be further stocked with proceeds from a major fundraising event April 28 featuring New Mexico governor and former presidential candidate Bill Richardson.
Gregoire said she has experienced no drop-off in donor aid from last time
The pace of fundraising thus far is ahead of that set in 2004.
Then, Gregoire collected $6.36 million and Rossi nearly matched it with $6.25 million. Their combined total was the most for a governor’s race in state history
Rossi said he thinks it’s likely the two will eclipse that sum in their rematch.
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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