Vancouver state Senator has token opposition. Why is she raising so much cash?

Plus 20% off Observer subscriptions for the primary and some more cash updates ahead of tomorrow's election.

We expect State Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver, a three-term incumbent in the safely Democratic 49th Legislative District, to sail through the primary and the general election.¹  She doesn’t need to mount a big expensive campaign.

And yet, the moderate Democrat has raised the second biggest cash pile, $370,000 and counting, of any candidate for the Legislature. As of Aug. 1, she had about $218K in the bank, according to the latest campaign filing from the Public Disclosure Commission. 

First and third on that list go to state Sen. Ron Muzzall, R-Oak Harbor, who is running in one of this election’s most expensive and contested races statewide in the swing 10th Legislative District, and Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, who is fighting for his political life in the newly redrawn 14th District. 

So why is Cleveland stacking so much cash?

Sen. Annette Cleveland, D-Vancouver. (Photo by Tim Gruver)

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But first, we’re having a sale for the primary…

In honor of the hardy few who actually filled out a ballot—turnout’s looking terrible so far—we’re offering 20% off on subscriptions for the Observer through August 16th. So if you’re still on the outside looking longingly at the good stuff on the other side of the paywall, now’s the time. You don’t want to miss all the interesting stuff we’ll have to say about the primary results over the next few weeks.