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As Portland City Commissioner Amanda Fritz spends her own money to stay in City Hall, and a lumber baron pumps money toward conservative candidates in Clackistan, a wealthy businessman in Clark County has combined those two techniques. He's using his fortune to sway voters north of the Columbia River.
Republican David Madore, owner of U.S. Digital in East Vancouver, has shattered local elections spending records in his attempt to oust incumbent and fellow Republican Marc Boldt, in a race for Clark County Commissioner. Madore has raised $331,740—and $322,651 of that is his own cash or in-kind contributions, Washington Public Disclosure Commission records show.
That amount overshadows the $244,546 that Fritz has given to her own campaign. The previous Clark County record was $260,000 raised in 2006 by Democratic Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart in a successful attempt to keep his seat.
Madore has largely campaigned against the Columbia River Crossing, especially tolls and light rail. He instead advocates for an expansion of the freeway system to Vancouver, including a third bridge to go in somewhere near U.S. Digital. Since 2010, he's spend hundreds of thousands of his own savings to support other Republican candidates.
Madore claims Boldt is too liberal a Republican. (Washington's top-two primary system means two candidates from the same party can wind up squaring off).
Boldt, a two-term incumbent who also served in the state house, has raised $88,675; none of it is his.
WWeek 2015