Newhouse leads in campaign fundraising

MOSES LAKE - Sunnyside Republican Dan Newhouse is the early leader in campaign funds raised in the wide-open race for Rep. Doc Hastings' seat in the 4th Congressional District.

Hastings is retiring after 20 years as a legislator.

Newhouse, the former director of the state Department of Agriculture, is the only candidate out of more than a dozen to publicly announce how much he has collected. Candidates are not required to list finances until the filing period opens next week.

Estakio Beltran, a former staffer for Sen. Maria Cantwell, is the only Democratic candidate to disclose his contributions, raising $2,000.

According to the Federal Election Commission, Newhouse has raised more than $160,000 from several hundred donors, $60,000 more than the next closest candidate, Republican Clint Dider, who has raised about $102,000 to date, although $30,000 was given by Didier as a candidate loan.

Current state Sen. Janéa Holmquist Newbry, R-Moses Lake, has raised about $61,000, also announcing last month the endorsements of 15 state senators and seven state representatives, including Reps. Judy Warnick, R-Moses Lake, and Matt Manweller, R-Ellensburg.

Other Republican candidates who have disclosed campaign contributions include Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck ($25,876); Kennewick Attorney George Cicotte ($37,935); and Ephrata portraitist and filmmaker Gavin Seim ($7,876). Jamie Wheeler, of Kennewick has also announced her candidacy but has yet to file.

Among the other Democrats to file with the FEC are Kennewick resident Gary Downing, a maintenance staff member with the Richland School District, and Yakima residents Tony Sandoval and Tony Williams.

Josh Ramirez, of Pasco, a project specialist for a Hanford contractor, has declared as an independent.