Republicans raise most money in county council races

With less than a month left until ballots are due, the Republicans vying for two open seats on Clark County council have a fundraising edge over their Democratic opponents.

John Blom, Republican candidate for the District 3 position, has raised $60,393 for his campaign, according to filings with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission, more than any other candidate seeking a seat on the county council this fall. Tanisha Harris, his Democratic opponent, is just behind at $55,574. A political action committee associated with Realtors has pumped money into the race. The amounts of money raised in this election are far less than the $331,897 raised by David Madore for his successful 2012 run for the District 3 seat on county council.

In the race for the District 4 position, there’s less money and a bigger fundraising gap between the two candidates. Democrat Roman Battan has raised $19,108, less than half of the nearly $42,000 raised by Republican Eileen Quiring.

“Money is the mother’s milk of politics,” Quiring said. “The reason you have to have money is to get your message out to people who aren’t attuned on a daily basis on what’s going on in the political realm.”

The funding sources for each candidates reveals their bases of support, their priorities and their connections in Clark County.

“Before someone hands you a check or gives you an endorsement, you need to have that relationship,” Harris said.

District 3

Blom finished the August primary with 30 percent of the vote, beating out fellow Republican Madore, who received 24 percent of the vote.

Following the primary race, the Clark County Republican Central Committee voted to oppose Blom and spent $2,617 opposing his candidacy. Party chair Kenny Smith said Blom had too much support from Democrats, causing the GOP to cut him off.

Blom said that Madore has donated heavily to the Clark County Republican Party.

“It’s no surprise that the party chair isn’t happy about someone challenging [Madore],” said Blom, 32, who said he wants to increase funding for public safety and mental health services while fostering a more collaborative approach on the council, a reversal of the more caustic tone that has marked recent years. Bob Stevens, the deputy county manager who has been a vocal critic of Madore, also contributed $500 to Blom during the primary election.

Although Blom has been opposed by the local Republican party, a political action committee associated with the Building Industry Association of Clark County spent $14,672 independently on mailers during the primary supporting the candidate.

During the primary, the Washington Realtors PAC contributed another $206,081 in independent expenditures supporting Blom.

“My organization believes that we gain something if he’s elected,” said Jo Ann Johnston, CEO of the Clark County Association of Realtors. She said that Blom’s experience as a licensed Realtor and service on the Clark County Planning Commission would be assets in improving quality of life in the county and addressing its housing crunch.

Although the Clark County central party has opposed Blom, he’s been endorsed widely by Republican elected officials. Smith said he expects Blom to prevail in the election.

David Nierenberg, a Camas investor and political donor, organized and helped fund Connecting Clark County, a PAC aimed at unseating Madore during the primary. He’s also contributed $2,000 to Blom’s election bid.

“I think Tanisha (Harris) is a fine person, but I believe she would better fit as a candidate for state Legislature,” Nierenberg said.

Harris, a 40-year-old woman who works as a court-appointed child advocate for the YWCA Clark County, said being close behind her opponent in fundraising demonstrates her viability as a candidate. A lifelong resident of east Vancouver, Harris said she’s been involved in the local Democratic Party for the last eight years.

Records show she’s received $250 from former Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard and $200 from Clark County Treasurer Doug Lasher, a Democrat. She’s also received $8,000 from the House Democratic Campaign Committee and $2,000 from the Harry Truman Fund, which is heavily supported by the Washington Education Association along with other labor unions. Harris has also received direct support from labor unions, including $500 from the Washington Public Employees Association and $2,000 from the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council.

Harris said that, if elected, she’d bring her support for the working class to the council.

“When we’re looking at various contracts we need to make sure our contracts are fair and just,” she said.

Quiring-Battan race

Shannon Stull, business manager for Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 335, which contributed $500 to Harris’ campaign, said that she, as well as Battan, the Democrat running in District 4, would make the county more labor-friendly if elected.

“They are for working families,” he said. “They are for middle class people and making sure people make family wages.”

Battan, a 35-year-old who owns a software and media development company, said he’s interested in developing affordable housing, improving the county’s transportation infrastructure and bringing new businesses to the area. When it comes to fundraising, he said he won’t accept money from “special interests” outside of the area.

His largest contributor is Rich Rogers, chair of the Democratic Party of Clark County. He gave a total of $1,300. The second largest contributor is the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council, which donated $1,250. He’s also received donations from other unions representing electricians ($1,000), laborers ($800) and public employees ($500).

Quiring, like Blom, is supported by the Washington Realtors and the Building Industry Association of Clark County, which donated $1,000. Other contributors include Neil Cahoon, a former candidate for the Port of Camas-Washougal Board of Commissioners, who chipped in $2,000. Convenience store chain Plaid Pantry contributed the same amount, as did Clyde Holland, a developer and major GOP political donor. She’s also received support from other developers in the area, including $1,000 from Camas billionaire investor Ken Fisher, who like Holland has donated heavily to the state Republican Party.

“I am a conservative, and I believe in free market principles, and I would try to instill that in anything that has passed,” said Quiring, a 68-year-old Realtor who was born in Clark County and served in the Oregon Legislature as a representative and later a senator from 1995 to 2001. Now running as a Republican for county council, Quiring said she wants to work on housing and transportation issues while supporting landowners.

Other Quiring contributors include Carol Levanen, who donated $500 and has been involved with Clark County Citizens United, which represents rural landowner. Outgoing councilors David Madore and Tom Mielke also gave $100 and $500 respectively.