It’s about six (6) weeks until the general election. We thought it a good time to take a look at the contributions being made to both of the Washington State Superintendent candidates. This was stimulated by an email we received this morning from the campaign of Chris Reykdal:
Good morning! I’m sick of Donald Trump! I’m sick of the bigger symbolism of his campaign. I’m done with excessively wealthy individuals trying to buy elections without a remote understanding of how to effectively serve the interests of the public. Guess what? It’s happening even in my OSPI race! The millionaire corporate-style reformers are writing $2,000 (maximum) checks to my opponent.
I respect their desire for “change,” but these folks know nothing about the Superintendent’s office or quite frankly, how to truly help kids, teachers, and schools – most likely because they’ve never worked in education, public policy, or education finance! They want schools to run like for-profit companies. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING! THE paramount duty in our State Constitution is FULLY and AMPLY funding our K-12 public schools. The Constitution does not say vouchers, charters, or privatization. Our kids and our schools are not profit centers to be shut down or “right-sized” to make an extra buck. In fact, quite the opposite. We need to drive additional resources to communities and kids most in need!
Unlike my opponent, I won’t be getting $2,000 checks from wealthy school privatizers, but I do have you: $25, $50, $100, and $250 at a time.
So, we went to the Public Disclosure Commission web site and got the links to each of their contribution profiles to date:
Erin Jones:
| Total Raised: | Total Spent: |
|---|
Chris Reykdal:
| Total Raised: | Total Spent: |
|---|
Let’s take a look at what the data shows:
- Who’s raised more money to date? Chris by about $40,000
- Who’s spent more money to date? Chris by about $43,000
- How many contributions in total (this is NOT unique contributors) does each candidate have? Chris = ~703 Erin = ~1627
- How many $2,000 (which is the MAX) contributions does each have? Chris = ~16 Erin = ~7
- What’s the “average” amount of contribution (total/number)? Chris = ~$262.39 Erin = ~$88.72
- How many contributions of $25 or less? Chris = ~54 Erin = ~730
- How many contributions have the candidate or a family member made to their own campaign and total amounts? Chris = ~10 times for ~$545 Erin = ~14 (using the last name of Jones which may include non-family members) for ~$1615
- Contributions by PACs, Associations, Unions and Groups: Chris = ~84 for ~$84,775 Erin = ~11 for ~$8,800
Who are some of the major name non-individual contributors to each campaign?
Chris:
| Report | AFT WASHINGTON COPE | 6/17/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | TUKWILA | WA | 98188 | ||
| Report | PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF WASHINGTON | 6/6/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | AUBURN | WA | 98071 | ||
| Report | PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES OF WASHINGTON | 9/20/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | AUBURN | WA | 98071 | ||
| Report | RAYONIER, INC | 5/23/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | JACKSONVILLE | FL | 32202 | ||
| Report | WA ORGANIZATIONS OF VACATIONAL EDUCATORS | 5/26/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98507 | ||
| Report | WA ORGANIZATIONS OF VACATIONAL EDUCATORS | 5/26/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98507 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON BEER AND WINE DISTRIBUTORS ASSOCIATION | 7/20/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98507 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PAC | 4/23/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | FEDERAL WAY | WA | 00000 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION PAC | 4/23/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | FEDERAL WAY | WA | 00000 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES | 8/31/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON FEDERATION OF STATE EMPLOYEES | 6/6/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON FOREST PROTECTION ASSOCIATION PAC | 9/20/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON SCHOOL PRINCIPALS LEGISLATIVE EFFECTIVENESS ASSOCIATION | 7/29/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98507 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON SCHOOL PRINCIPALS LEGISLATIVE EFFECTIVENESS ASSOCIATION | 7/29/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98507 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON STATE COUNCIL FIREFIGHTERS | 7/6/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 |
| Report | WASHINGTON STATE COUNCIL FIREFIGHTERS | 7/6/2016 | $2,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | WEYERHAEUSER | 11/20/2015 | $1,900.00 | P | FEDERAL WAY | WA | 98063 | ||
| Report | MICROSOFT | 10/22/2015 | $1,800.00 | P | FARGO | ND | 58104 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON FOREST PROTECTION ASSOCIATION PAC | 7/20/2016 | $1,500.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION PAC | 7/8/2016 | $1,500.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | UA PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LOCAL 26 SEGREGATED FUND | 11/20/2015 | $1,400.00 | P | LACEY | WA | 98516 | ||
| Report | WASHINGTON MACHINISTS COUNCIL MNPL FUND | 12/11/2015 | $1,400.00 | P | SEATTLE | WA | 98108 | ||
| Report | FUNSTON SUZANNE | 8/3/2015 | $1,000.00 | P | TUMWATER | WA | 98501 | ||
| Report | HAZLEGROVE SCOTT | 7/20/2016 | $1,000.00 | P | SEATTLE | WA | 98116 | ||
| Report | HOD CARRIERS AND GENERAL LABORERS-LOCAL 242 PAC | 6/26/2016 | $1,000.00 | P | SEATTLE | WA | 98121 | ||
| Report | IBEW LOCAL 77 PAC | 10/28/2015 | $1,000.00 | P | SEATTLE | WA | 98144 | ||
| Report | JUSTICE FOR ALL PAC | 5/14/2016 | $1,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98506 | ||
| Report | JUSTICE FOR ALL PAC | 8/26/2016 | $1,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98506 | ||
| Report | NISQUALLY INDIAN TRIBE | 7/20/2016 | $1,000.00 | P | OLYMPIA | WA | 98513 | ||
| Report | PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGIONAL COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS, SSF | 9/21/2016 | $1,000.00 | G | KENT | WA | 98032 |
This is NOT the complete list but does represent the types of groups
Erin:
| Report | PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES FOR WA POLITICAL FUND | 6/3/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | AUBURN | WA | 98071 |
| Report | TULALIP TRIBES OF WA | 8/5/2016 | $2,000.00 | P | TULALIP | WA | 98271 |
| Report | JAMESTOWN S’KLALLAM TRIBE | 8/26/2016 | $1,000.00 | G | SEQUIM | WA | 98382 |
| Report | JUSTICE FOR ALL PAC | 8/23/2016 | $1,000.00 | G | OLYMPIA | WA | 98506 |
| Report | NAT’L WOMEN’S POLITICAL CAUCUS OF WA CAMPAIGN FUND | 8/16/2016 | $1,000.00 | G | SEATTLE | WA | 98124 |
| Report | MAKAH TRIBAL COUNCIL | 8/26/2016 | $700.00 | G | NEAH BAY | WA | 98357 |
| Report | MUCKLESHOOT INDIAN TRIBE | 7/29/2016 | $500.00 | P | AUBURN | WA | 98092 |
| Report | NAT’L WOMEN’S POLITICAL CAUCUS OF WA CAMPAIGN FUND | 7/8/2016 | $300.00 | P | SEATTLE | WA | 98124 |
| Report | S.A.B.S.E. | 7/21/2015 | $300.00 | P | SEATTLE | WA | 981220035 |
This is NOT the complete list but does represent the types of groups
Conclusions?
- It appears that Mr. Reykdal has more large contributions from large companies and corporate entities – will they benefit from their support and if so how?
- It appears that Ms. Jones has far more small contributors
- Should any of this make a difference in who you vote for? That’s your call. I always try to understand what people who contribute to a campaign hope or expect to get out of it…follow the money.
Thank you for covering this topic. My opponent has dozens and dozens of donors on installment plans. They pay small amounts every month so each contribution appears to look like a unique donor. Some people are reflected 6, 8, even 10 times as unique donors. A simple PDC download of contributions into Excel and a “remove duplicate function” will reveal that we are within a few hundred donors of each other. Both campaigns are very grassroots. Let’s face it, this is a non-partisan position that doesn’t get much attention or resources. Combined we have raised barely over $300,000 or about 5 pennies per voter.
The major point of my fundraising letter is the growing trend of exceedingly powerful individuals who try to buy individual elected seats for themselves or their champions. BOTH SIDES of the political aisle have these influencers. I used Trump as the example only because he is going for the ultimate office – the White House. I even say it is the symbolism of his campaign that most bothers me. But make no mistake, Democrats have plenty of these folks as well.
I am proud to have support by Republicans and Democrats across the state. Business and labor across the state. What I don’t have, that my opponent does, are exceedingly powerful individuals with a history of giving large amounts of personal money to candidate and PACs. I find this kind of donation far different than a business or a labor union. They are not representing a group of people (workers, employees, shareholders, customers, etc.). They are representing only themselves and their singular interests.
I believe deeply in one person – one vote. I believe in our Constitution! When some individuals can influence one political race – whether the White House or a school superintendent (whether a Democrat or Republican), I believe we have trouble with the Republic and our larger Democracy.
Anybody is free to contact me directly at chris4wakids@gmail.com or my personal cell phone at 360-790-3151 if they would like to discuss this further.