This summer, Brad Lothspeich of Hazel Dell has sharply outraised her — in fact, he out-raised all his opponents combined, thanks almost entirely to three big out-of-town donors and the local building industry.

Extra cash could give an edge to the former fire chief, one of four Republicans looking to succeed retiring Clark County Commissioner Betty Sue Morris in District 1.

The Aug. 19 primary in northern Clark County will lop five candidates off the seven-person ballot, leaving the top two for a countywide general election Nov. 3. The primary race in east county’s Commissioner District 2, pitting incumbent Republican Marc Boldt against Democrat Jeanne Harris and independent Martyn Butler, has been much quieter.

Lothspeich raised $18,925 between May 1 and July 17.

Brokaw drew $9,245 in the same period. Ridgefield Republican Matt Swindell raised $5,900; Battle Ground Republican Tom Mielke, $3,285; Fairgrounds independent Bridget Schwarz, $1,670; and Barberton independent Robert Nichols, $50.

Nichols’ lone contributor was Port of Vancouver Commissioner Jerry Oliver.

Salmon Creek Republican Craig Williams, the last to enter the race, hasn’t reported any fundraising except $141 from his own pocket, according to public records.

Including prior fundraising, Brokaw has raised $33,324, compared with $31,631 for Lothspeich, $17,971 for Swindell and $6,977 for Mielke.

Q Prime aids Lothspeich

Almost all of Lothspeich’s new cash came from four donations in late June and early July:

—   $10,000 in three donations from owners of Q Prime, the company that runs the Amphitheater at Clark County. Lothspeich is a manager at Q Prime. The donors are Cliff Bernstein, Peter Mensch and Melissa Meyer, all of whom live in New York.

—  $5,000 from the Building Industry Association of Clark County, which endorsed ­Lothspeich last month.

Clark County deals regularly with Q Prime because the county owns the amphitheater. The amphitheater was built by Q Prime and has operated it through a subsidiary since 2003. Amid the shrinking national market for amphitheater shows, the venue has yet to turn a profit.

“They know me, and they appreciate the job I’ve done for them,” Lothspeich said of the donors. “I’ve made them no promises; I said I would treat them like any other business in the county, and they know that.”

Other big recent donations:

—   International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 48 gave $2,500 to Brokaw, a former Democratic Party chairwoman who directs a nonprofit affordable-housing enterprise in Orchards. She’s taken in $7,500 from them so far.

—  New Tradition Homes, a top county home builder, and Taverner Development each gave $1,000 to Swindell, whose works as a manager for Summerplace Homes in Battle Ground.

Small donors for Schwarz

Schwarz, a neighborhood organizer and former electronics saleswoman who says she doesn’t accept money from “special interest groups,” has drawn 43 donations from individuals, all $100 or less.

Her average donation so far is $40, compared with $289 for Swindell, $224 for Lothspeich, $180 for Mielke and $144 for Brokaw.

That’s the way Schwarz likes it, she said.

“I’m getting grass-roots support,” she said. “I’m not getting big business.”

Michael Andersen covers Clark County government: 360-735-4508 or michael.andersen@columbian.com.By michael andersen