PACs are donating cash to Pierce County campaigns. Here’s who is benefiting the most
The News Tribune recently took a look at where candidates in the Pierce County Council and Executive races got their campaign funding and how they spent it.
We took an even deeper dive to explore which candidates received funding from Political Action Committees (PACs), which often represent business, labor or ideological interests and raise and spend money with the purpose to elect candidates and defeat their opponents.
Under Washington law, PACs, unions and corporations can donate up to $1,200 to a candidate in local primary and general elections.
According to the state Public Disclosure Commission, this year Pierce County Democrats received more on average from PACs in the primary and general election.
A reminder: the general election is Nov. 5. Learn more about how to register to vote, who your candidates will be and where your nearest ballot box is online at the Pierce County Elections website.
Here’s a breakdown of what we learned:
Pierce County Executive
Republican Kelly Chambers is a state representative in the Washington Legislature in her third term. Chambers accepted $14,700 from PACs in the primary and $5,263.86 for the general election. PAC funding has made up 7.8% of her campaign contributions so far for her 2024 campaign.
Chambers received $1,200 donations from the Washington Retail Association, Concerned Taxpayers of Washington State, Associated General Contractors of Washington’s Build PAC, Cascade PAC, Puget Sound Chapter- NECA PAC, WA Beverage Association PAC, Trucking Action Committee, Washington Health Care Association PAC, Washington Realtors PAC, Washington Multifamily Housing Association PAC and the Washington Retail Association. She also received $464 from Cascade PAC, $500 from UnitedHealth Group Inc., $600 from WTIA, $500 from the Associated Builders and Contractors of Western Washington PAC, $500 from the WA State Tree Fruit Association PAC and $600 from the Washington State Auto Dealers PAC.
County council chair Ryan Mello, a Democrat, accepted $10,100 from PACs in the primary and $5,000 for the general election. PAC funding has made up 5% of the campaign contributions so far for his 2024 campaign.
Mello received $2,400 total from the Harry Truman Fund, Sustainable Future PAC and the Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund. He received $1,200 each from the HNTB Holdings LTD PAC, UFCW Active Ballot Club General Fund Washington, Broadband Communications Association of WA PAC, Service Employees Intl Union 925 Public Service PAC, $1,000 from FUSE Votes, $600 from the UA Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 26 Segregated Fund, $500 from the NW Regional Council of SMART SSF, $500 from Culture PAC, $500 from FairVote Washington PAC, $500 from the East Pierce Firefighters Local 3520 and $500 from Fifty Plus One PAC.
Pierce County Council - District 2
Republican incumbent Paul Herrera, a veteran with law enforcement experience, received $2,400 total from the Master Builders Association of Pierce County Affordable Housing Council. PAC funding has made up 8.5% of the campaign contributions so far for his 2024 campaign.
Democrat Davida Haygood, an educator and community organizer, received $4,321 from PACs. She accepted $2,400 from the Washington Education Association, $1,200 from Win with Women, $150 from FairVote WA, $470 in in-kind donations for staff time from Sage Leaders and $102 of in-kind donations for staff time from the WA Progress Alliance. PAC funding has made up 13% of the campaign contributions so far for her 2024 campaign.
District 2 includes the communities of Edgewood, Milton, Pacific, Puyallup, South Hill, Summit View and Sumner.
Pierce County Council - District 3
Republican incumbent Amy Cruver, a long-time assistant of state senator and prior county councilman Jim McCune, received a total of $2,400 from the Master Builders Association. PAC funding has made up 4% of the campaign contributions so far for her 2024 campaign.
Democrat John Limboe, a fire commissioner and farmer, received a total of $1,200 from the Pierce County Firefighters PAC. Funding from PACs has made up 10% of the campaign contributions so far for his 2024 campaign.
District 3 includes Ashford, Eatonville, Elbe, Elk Plain, Frederickson, Graham, Harts Lake, Lacamas, McKenna, Roy and Spanaway.
Pierce County Council - District 4
Democrat Rosie Ayala, a Metro Parks board commissioner and director of Operations for Foundation for Tacoma Students, accepted $6,050 from PACs. She received $1,200 each from the Win with Women PAC, Active in Democracy/Tacoma Firefighters Union, Service Employees International Union 1199 Northwest PAC and The Share Fund. She received $600 from the WA Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund, $500 from the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 612 Political Fund and $150 from FairVote Washington PAC. Funding from PACs made up 13.9% of the campaign contributions so far for her 2024 campaign.
Democrat Rodney Robinson, the director of the Campaign to End and Prevent Youth and Young Adult Homelessness in Pierce County, received $500 from the WA Association of Realtors PAC. Funding from PACs made up 10.6% of the campaign contributions so far for his 2024 campaign.
District 4 includes Fircrest, parts of Tacoma (like Central Tacoma, Downtown, Hilltop and South Tacoma), as well as University Place.
Pierce County Council - District 6
Democrat incumbent Jani Hitchen, a former educator who has served on the council since 2020, accepted $15,300 from PACs.
She received $2,400 each from the Active in Democracy/Tacoma Firefighters Union, WA Education Association PAC and Win with Women PAC. She also received $1,200 each from the WA Teamsters Legislative League, the United Food and Commercial Workers No. 367 PAC and Citizens for Better Government. Hitchen received $1,000 each from the UFCW Active Ballot Club General Fund and People for Derek Kilmer, $600 from the WA Alliance for Gun Responsibility Victory Fund, $500 each from the WA Conservation Voters Action Fund, WA State Council of County and City Employees PAC and the NW Regional Council of SMART SSF, $250 from the WA Conservation Voters Action Fund and $150 from the FairVote Washington PAC.
Funding from PACs has made up 17.8% of the campaign contributions so far for her 2024 campaign.
Republican Loujanna “LJ” Rohrer, a twice elected Steilacoom Historical School Board director and a senior legislative assistant, received $1,200 from the Washington Association of Realtors Political Affairs Council and $300 from the South Puget Sound Republican Women.
PAC funding has made up 1.3% of the campaign contributions so far for her 2024 campaign.
District 6 includes the communities of DuPont, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Lakewood, Parkland, Steilacoom, Anderson Island and Ketron Island.
Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer race
County Council member Marty Campbell is running for Assessor-Treasurer and pulled ahead in the primary. He raised $64,076 in his campaign, spent $53,004 and reported $6,311 in debt, according to the Public Disclosure Commission.
He received $2,400 total each from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Active in Democracy, $1,200 from the WA Association of Realtors PAC and $1,000 from the People for Derek Kilmer. PAC funding has made up 10.9% of the campaign contributions so far for his 2024 campaign.
Kent Keel, who served on the University Place City Council and was twice elected to the University Place School District board, reported no PAC funding to the Public Disclosure Commission. He raised $18,269 in his campaign and spent $12,276. Most of his contributions, $15,351, were from individuals.
This story was originally published September 4, 2024 at 5:15 AM.
