Though she faces competition that has been able to raise significant dollars, U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler maintains a lead in fundraising in the race to retain her seat in the upcoming election as of the latest Federal Elections Commission filings.
The filings, which were published at the end of January, show Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, has raised significantly more than those from her own party in the 2022 election race. The congresswoman was able to raise roughly $525,000 in the fourth quarter from October through December, which is about the same amount her campaign raised in the third quarter. In total, her campaign has raised about $2.26 million this election cycle, well above the about $1.58 million she raised during the first year of the last cycle.
Herrera Beutler’s campaign manager Parker Truax said the congresswoman’s team is pleased to see continued support in maintaining a fundraising lead.
“(W)e’re confident we’ll have the resources needed to win re-election in 2022,” Truax said in a statement.
The incumbent maintains a sizable lead over her competitors. The amount she has raised is more than the combined totals her active competition has amassed.
Herrera Beutler’s total was about 62% more than Joe Kent, who maintained the second-place position in funds raised with about $1.39 million in all. Kent raised about $306,000 between October through December, which was less than the roughly $452,000 his campaign raised in the prior quarter.
In a response to the latest filings, Kent pointed to his continued reliance on individual contributions. In the latest filing, Kent received about $273,000 from individual contributors, compared to the roughly $264,000 Herrera Beutler’s campaign raised from individuals in the quarter.
“Her FEC report displays she is not a representative for the people of southwest Washington, only a pawn of corporate special interests,” Kent said in a statement.
Kent is one of three Republicans seeking to unseat Herrera Beutler this year. Third-place fundraiser Heidi St. John stepped up her contributions in the fourth quarter, raising about $248,000 from October through December. The past quarter’s contributions were about five times what her campaign raised in the third quarter, and increased the total raised by more than 42% overall, bringing it to roughly $582,000.
In a release prior to the publishing of the latest quarter’s finances, St. John’s campaign noted it had changed staff in November.
“Our campaign is running on all eight cylinders and gaining speed fast,” St. John stated in the release.
St. John noted she started TV campaign ads, including one that targets Kent as someone who “carpetbagged” into Washington to run.
St. John has been able to raise funds across the nation, the release stated.
“Not only did we gain thousands of new supporters around the country, these folks are now part of our campaign family,” St. John said.
Outside of Kent and St. John, current Washington State Rep. Vicki Kraft has also thrown her hat in the ring. With only one quarter of fundraising since her December announcement, the Vancouver Republican has raised about $12,000.
Apart from the Republican competition, Democrat Brent Hennrich has stepped up his own fundraising. As the only challenger from across the political aisle who has raised any significant sum based on FEC filings, Hennrich gained about $20,000 in contributions between October and December, which is the most he raised in any quarter. The total amount he raised is roughly $45,000, putting him ahead of Kraft but behind the two-top challengers to Herrera Beutler’s seat financially.
