By Nicholas K. Geranios
The Associated Press
SPOKANE — The latest campaign finance report in the race for Eastern Washington’s U.S. House seat showed that Republican U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Democratic challenger Lisa Brown have raised about $9.7 million between them.
Up to Sept. 30, McMorris Rodgers had raised $5.1 million total and Brown had raised $4.6 million. Brown’s money is the most ever raised by a challenger to the seven-term incumbent.
McMorris Rodgers, the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House, had spent $4.3 million and had $799,000 in cash on hand. Brown’s spending and cash were not immediately available Monday.
The candidates have spent their money on a slew of negative ads leading to the Nov. 6 election.
Brown pointed to a flood of donations after she finished just four percentage points, 49 percent to 45 percent, behind McMorris Rodgers in the August primary. Brown said that McMorris Rodgers being below 50 percent was a key to the fundraising.
Brown raised $2.4 million from July 1 to Sept. 30, more than doubling her total for the whole campaign. That mirrors a nationwide trend where Democrats are raising large sums this year.
“Eastern Washington is ready for an independent advocate who will put our region’s interests over special interests and party priorities,” Brown said in a press release. “My opponent is a leader in a dysfunctional Congress.”
McMorris Rodgers raised about $1.4 million in the third quarter for her re-election.
“I’m excited at the positive feedback I am receiving about my record of results, leadership, and commitment to protecting Social Security and Medicare, fixing our broken health care system, getting our veterans the care they’ve earned, and to continuing to create jobs and opportunities here in Eastern Washington,” McMorris Rodgers said.
The 5th District is centered on Spokane and has not elected a Democrat since former House Speaker Tom Foley won in 1992. McMorris Rodgers won an open seat in 2004 and has generally cruised to easy victories since.
Brown is a longtime state legislator and college professor and administrator making her first try for federal office.
McMorris Rodgers has brought several prominent GOP officials to campaign for her in the district. They include Vice President Mike Pence and presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway.