The election is over, but that doesn’t mean David Madore and his political action committee, NoTolls.com, are through.
Madore and his PAC put more than $150,000 into nine local and legislative races this November — and saw just two of their favored Republican candidates, 17th District Rep. Paul Harris and County Assessor Peter Van Nortwick, emerge victorious. Only Harris will have a direct vote on tolls, one among the state House’s 98 members.
“It would have been nice” to have more of his favorites win, Madore said Friday, but attributed the losses of his other six candidates to their political inexperience, not as a sign that the majority of voters support the Columbia River Crossing project.
Clark County Democratic chairwoman Dena Horton had a different take: “David Madore and the no tolls group need to listen to the will of the people. His candidates’ not being elected should send him a message.”
Madore is the owner of East Vancouver company U.S. Digital, and emerged this summer as a staunch critic of the proposed Interstate 5 bridge, forming NoTolls.com, hosting forums, supporting candidates and becoming a fixture at Vancouver City Council meetings.
He said the “vast majority” of the people he speaks with oppose tolling. The first time a candidate runs for office is a learning experience, Madore said, so he expects more successes during the next election.
“It was a lot of new people who really didn’t have a lot of time to prepare,” Madore said. “It was really a process of waking up. That’s what our community is doing. I thought it was a good start.”
Commissioner Steve Stuart, who on Friday declared victory over Republican challenger Alan Svehaug, a newcomer whom Madore personally recruited to run, broke what had been a months-long silence on Madore and NoTolls.com.
“I don’t think you build a movement by trying to buy elections and deceive voters,” Stuart said; “by recruiting, bankrolling and propping up my opponent; by handing out checks to a bunch of others and dumping a bunch of his money into a campaign to deceive voters.”
As of Friday, Svehaug trailed Stuart 48.6 percent to 51.2 percent — a 2.6 percentage-point gap, or about 3,600 votes.
Madore said that “against a well-known incumbent, for somebody who had no name to start with to come within two percentage points of winning, that’s pretty good for a first try effort.”
He said Stuart should be put on notice because Svehaug did so well.
Stuart countered that it was difficult to run this year as an incumbent Democrat, both in Clark County and across the country.
He also pointed toward state campaign finance records that show NoTolls.com paid six people salaries from $150 to $390 for sign waving, and said, “When you’re building a grassroots movement, do you have to pay people to hold your banner?”
But Madore said he is gaining momentum. Svehaug told him he’s interested in running for office again, and that he is also committed to helping Madore recruit and groom others to run.
Between now and the next election, Madore said, his mission will be to continue to spread his no-tolls message.
He said he plans to approach Columbia River Crossing proponents — including Stuart, Commissioner Mark Boldt, Vancouver City Councilor Jeanne Harris and the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce — and try to change their minds.
“For all those people that may feel discouraged — be encouraged,” he said. “We’re still very much on track; this is a long-term project. The truth will win as long as we keep the lights turned on.”
Andrea Damewood: 360-735-4542 or andrea.damewood@columbian.com.
