Rolfes leading 23rd Dist. money chase

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, August 23, 2006

But incumbent Woods says it’s the smaller campaign checks that count.

Christine Rolfes is leading the pack in the dash for campaign cash.

The former Bainbridge city councilwoman has so far out-fund-raised her competition – incumbent Rep. Beverly Woods – and leads all other candidates vying for seats in the 23rd Legislative District.

Rolfes, in her first bid for a state office, posted a tally of almost $85,000 in cash and in-kind donations this week. Woods, a Kingston Republican who has represented the district for three terms, reported just over $68,000.

“I’m really appreciative of the support people have given me,” said Rolfes on Monday. “I think it’s fair to say people know I work really hard and follow through.”

The other 23rd District race leading to the November’s general election has a much wider fund-raising margin. Incumbent Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo) has so far raised almost $58,000, according to state Public Disclosure Commission reports. Her challenger, Bainbridge Republican Earl Johnson, reported just over $19,000 this week.

Rolfes credits Democratic Party leaders – including U.S. Rep Norm Dicks and state House Speaker Frank Chopp – and more than 100 campaign volunteers for boosting her bid for a House seat.

Help has also come from Moxie Media, one of the region’s top political consulting firms (see related story).

While Rolfes may have the larger war chest, Woods warns that the contest is just beginning.

“I’m not concerned about it,” Woods said. “Money isn’t everything. I’ve been out doorbelling and getting good responses.”

Woods’ re-election efforts were limited by a state-mandated campaign and fund-raising freeze on all incumbents during the 2006 legislative session. The restriction also applies to the month before and after the session.

“I couldn’t start fund-raising until April, while someone not in (office) can start in January,” she said. “But we’re picking up steam and I’m pretty happy.”

Woods’ optimism may be well-founded. While trailing Rolfes by some $17,000, Woods’ campaign saw a 22 percent increase in funds between the end of June and the middle of August. Rolfes’ coffers grew by 17 percent.

This race follows a familiar pattern, according to Woods. Appleton had raised more money around this time four years ago in her unsuccessful effort to unseat Woods. By election day, the candidates had nearly tied each other, with Woods reporting $122,639 and Appleton $121,539. The ballot results were not quite so close, with Woods earning 52 percent to Appleton’s 48 percent.

Woods’ most recent challenger, Democrat Terry Ducheane, campaigned little in 2004 and spent even less with only $1,425 reported to the PDC. Still, Ducheane managed to draw almost 43 percent of the vote to Woods’ 57 percent.

Despite the minute fund-raising threat her 2004 challenger posed, Woods managed to pull in over $132,000. Woods said this money comes from a broad base of contributors from the district, which includes Bainbridge, North Kitsap and parts of Bremerton.

This contrasts with Rolfes’ financial base, she added.

“I know most of (Rolfes’) contributors are on Bainbridge Island and they’re writing large checks,” Woods said. “My folks are throughout the county. They don’t write $700 and $1,000 checks. Very few friends of mine can write those checks. They send in $25 and $50 checks and those checks are very important to me.”

The latest PDC reports indicate that the vast majority of Rolfes’ contributions come from individual donors on Bainbridge Island. Woods’ support has come largely from trade associations, businesses and other organizations.

Woods’ largest reported contributors include the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, the Washington State Troopers Association, the Washington Medical PAC, the Washington Refuse & Recycling Association PAC and the Spokane-based Avista Corp. Each of these groups have contributed $1,400 in the form of two $700 checks.

Rolfes’ largest contributions have also come in the form of dual $700 checks.

Island residents topped this list, with Frank Buxton, Cynthia Sears and Dana Willerford contributing $1,400 each. IslandWood founders Paul and Debbi Brainerd chipped in two $700 checks, while contributions from the Norm Dicks for Congress Committee also totaled $1,400.

Former Bainbridge councilwoman Lois Curtis, New York City resident Elizabeth Sullivan and the 23rd Legislative District Democrats gave the largest single donations to the Rolfes campaign, with $1,000 given by each.

Rolfes was awarded almost $13,000 in ‘in-kind’ contributions from the state House Democratic Campaign Committee for services and other support.

With three months before the November election, Woods and Rolfes are expected to top the state spending average. Incumbents in 2004 legislative races spent an average of $97,000 to defend against challengers who typically doled out about $60,000, according to the PDC.

**************

Marketing a challenger

Christine Rolfes has enlisted one of the region’s top political strategists in her campaign to unseat Republican Rep. Beverly Woods. The Seattle-based Moxie Media has signed on to assist Rolfes’ campaign, having previously helped make winners out of U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels.

“(Moxie) has a good reputation and came highly recommended by (state Representative) Derek Kilmer,” said Rolfes, a Bainbridge Democrat and newcomer to state-level races.

Moxie helped Kilmer, who represents South Kitsap, in one of 2004’s most hotly contested and expensive House races. Numerous other Washington state Democrats have benefited from Moxie’s services, as well as candidates in Alaska, Oregon, Arizona and Ohio.

Rolfes has spent over $7,000 on Moxie’s services. The firm would not disclose what the money went toward, but Moxie’s multi-media arsenal includes direct mail and advertising campaigns, logo and branding development and web site design. Moxie also integrates polling, focus groups, voter file research and electoral analysis into the development of campaign strategies.

“Christine’s a winner,” said Moxie co-founder Lisa MacLean. “We checked her out and tracked her record as a city councilmember. We talked with other leaders in Kitsap County and she checked out great. She’s got a strong reputation as a capable leader.”

Moxie only signs on with candidates that share the firm’s liberal political leanings. Rolfes’ stance on education issues – including smaller class sizes and greater teacher retention – helped sway Moxie’s support. While Rolfes has out-fundraised Woods, a Kingston Republican, and garnered strong party backing, MacLean foresees a tough fight ahead.

“This will be a difficult election,” she said. “We’ll have to fight for the district. I don’t expect (the funding lead) will stay that way. Woods maxed out her contributions at the end of her last race. I have little doubt it will happen again.”

Moxie is focusing Rolfes’ campaign not on fundraising but volunteer-based efforts.

“This is going to be grassroots,” MacLean said. “(Rolfes) is going out and listening and talking to people and has an incredible amount of support from hundreds of volunteers. It’ll be a competitive contest, but many in that district think it’s high time for a change.”

– Tristan Baurick