The Washington Legislature has adjourned. And now the campaign season has begun. Within hours of the final gavels falling Tuesday night, fundraising pleas went out.
During the legislative session, there’s a freeze on campaign fundraising. But the moment the legislature adjourns, the freeze lifts. Gov. Jay Inslee’s campaign sent out a morning-after email to supporters with the headline “The fundraising freeze is over!” The email issued a 48-hour challenge “to make up for 109 days of lost fundraising time.”
House Republicans were also quick off the line with an email asking supporters to contribute the maximum $1,000 to the House Republican Organizational Committee.
“It’s time to get to work,” HROC Political Director Kevin Carns said.
He noted that House Republicans are now within two seats of taking the majority for the first time in two decades.
“It is a pretty high stakes year, and I think we’ve got a really, really good shot given our recent history,” Carns said.
In an overnight role reversal, lobbyists are often the audience for these fundraising pitches. For months they’ve been hounding lawmakers to pass or not pass legislation. Now lawmakers will be asking the lobbyists and their clients for campaign cash.
Carns said besides fundraising, his candidates will start knocking on voter doors this weekend.
