Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna at a campaign appearance last November.

OLYMPIA, June 8.—The campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna topped $1 million in fund-raising for the month of May – and it is crowing about it two days early.

The McKenna camp Thursday night released its latest fund-raising figures, the closely watched barometer of the health of any campaign, and it did so before the reports are due at the state Public Disclosure Commission on June 10, which is when most reporters get their hands on them. The figures represent the campaign’s best month of fund-raising since launching a year ago, says the campaign in a press release. But until Democratic candidate Jay Inslee files his papers, there’s no way to tell which one is in the lead.

“We didn’t see any reason to hold back,” said campaign spokesman Charles McCray. “We challenge Mr. Inslee to do the same.”

The figures released by the McKenna camp indicate that McKenna raised $1,159,729.78 in direct contributions. That brings his total for the campaign to $5.8 million. McKenna has $3.2 million cash on hand.

Last month Inslee reported a total $5.3 million for the campaign. His May fund-raising numbers have not yet been posted.

The key thing about McKenna’s numbers is that they represent a month when the floodgates had finally been opened and the attorney general was permitted to raise money for his campaign again. McKenna, as a sitting state elected official, was barred from raising money while the state Legislature was in session. The four-and-a-half month prohibition did not apply to Inslee, who served as congressman during a portion of this year’s session – he resigned March 20. The “session freeze” does not apply to federal elected officials.

McKenna was free to raise money again after the Legislature adjourned April 11. That meant May was his first full month to raise money.

The McKenna campaign reports that it has a total 22,775 donors.

Print PDF