PORT TOWNSEND — Boosted by $11,200 in donations from the Jefferson County Democrats and Central Committee, Wendy Davis is outdoing opponent Dave Stanko in campaign contributions in her bid to become the state’s only female county sheriff.
Davis, 47, a Port Ludlow Democrat, has raised $23,558, spent $19,357 and loaned her campaign $1,000 to get elected to the four-year Jefferson County position in the Nov. 4 general election, according to her campaign’s most recent filings as of Monday with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
Stanko, 66, a Port Townsend Democrat, has raised $17,478, spent $13,754 and loaned his campaign $5,000 — most of which he has already paid himself back in donations rather than spend directly on his campaign, according to the PDC.
Campaign contributions and expenditures can be reviewed at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Disclose.
Ballots for the general election were mailed Wednesday to all registered voters.
Davis, a human resources manager and payroll specialist for Port Ludlow Associates LLC and a former police officer, has 99 contributors compared with 89 for Stanko, a retired Fullerton, Calif., police lieutenant.
Davis said she feels fortunate to have the support of the county Democratic Party organization, citing additional support — and contributions — from the National Women’s Political Caucus ($1,000) in Seattle and the 46 Electrical Workers PAC ($500) in Kent, which is affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
“It shows I am supported by this community and by the people that represent unions and businesses and organizations in Jefferson County,” Davis said.
Davis has focused her expenditures on newspaper advertising and direct mail fliers, and she has spent more than $2,600 on signs.
“I’ve had so many signs stolen. I’ve been doing a lot of replacing what’s out there,” she said.
If successful in her bid, Davis would become the state’s only female county sheriff and the first for Jefferson County, according to the Washington State Sheriffs’ Association.
Stanko, who filed for the position as a Democrat, calls himself a “moderate independent” and said he voted for Republicans John McCain and Mitt Romney in the past two presidential elections.
“I rely on my individual support for every dime I’ve ever raised, plus my own money,” he said.
“I’m very proud of that.”
He said he is supported by four former county sheriffs.
“I can’t counter what she’s done,” he said, referring to Davis’ campaign.
“All I can do is go to the people and tell them what I can give them: far superior experience and leadership.”
Stanko said he has focused his spending on newspaper advertising and a mailer that goes out to voters this week but has done a limited amount of doorbell-ringing and concentrated on meet-and-greet gatherings.
Davis said she has rung lots of doorbells, concentrating on Port Townsend, the city’s outskirts and Port Hadlock, Chimacum and Irondale.
“What I’m doing that’s not costing much money [is] talking to people at their doorstep,” she said.
Stanko has already repaid himself $4,300 in funds he had loaned to his campaign.
He said he had “no answer” as to why he did not spend the money on trying to get elected, saying he followed the recommendation of his treasurer.
Davis contributors
Below are contributors from Jefferson County who have donated $100 or more to Davis’ campaign:
■ $11,200: Jefferson County Democrats and Central Committee, Port Townsend.
■ $500: L.L. Atkins, Port Townsend; Linda Saunders, Quilcene.
■ $400: Gary W.W. Engbrecht, Port Townsend.
■ $350: Bruce M. Cowan, Port Townsend.
■ $300: Susan Marett, Linda Roe-Abbott, Port Townsend.
■ $250: Gale Dumenil, George Yount, Port Townsend; Connie Gallant, Quilcene.
■ $200: Gerald Purdy, Port Ludlow.
■ $175: Ron Nelson, Port Ludlow.
■ $150: Kris Shapiro, Steven Shapiro, Dave Woodruff, Port Townsend; Diane Nelson, Port Ludlow.
■ $125: J.D. Gallant, Quilcene.
■ $100: Ben Critchlow, Juelanne Dalzell, Michael Felber, Susan Marett, Linda B. Martin, Michelle Sandoval, Linda Yakush, Ronald R. Hayes, Raymond Hunter, George D. Randels, Harriet Stay, Jeanette Woodruff, Port Townsend; Adele Govert, R.B. McComb, Port Ludlow; Linda Saunders, Quilcene; Lisa Painter, Nordland.
Stanko contributors
Below are contributors from Jefferson and Clallam counties who have donated $100 or more to Stanko’s campaign:
■ $950: Donald Hasley, Port Townsend.
■ $500: Lawrence Johnson, Nordland; Cynthia McNulty, Homer Smith III, Sequim.
■ $400: David Gooding, Port Townsend.
■ $300: Gwen Howard, Port Townsend.
■ $250: Robert Berg, Pete Hanke, Sherri Hanke, Nelson Ludlow, Port Townsend; Michael Brasfield, Carolyn Eagan, Port Ludlow.
■ $200: Eric Lucas, William Gamble, Port Townsend; Leroy Hornbeck, Port Hadlock.
■ $150: Karen Ciccarone, Richard Ciccarone, Port Hadlock.
■ $100: John Ammeter, Patrice Barry, Gary Dupen, Lary Howland, Port Hadlock; Phyllis Ballough, John Bodger, Scott Browning, John Chiles, Karen Clemens, Chris Clum, Ronald Dionne, Leslie Fellner, Irv Glushenko, Gail Hotohkee, Kurt Kippenhan, Sally Lovell, William McKinley, Joemily Nieuwsma, Gabe Ornelas, Gary Rossow, Harold Sherwood, Bonnie Strickland, Rita Vaughn, Paul Walters, David S. Whitney, Port Townsend; Stephanie Beres, Walter Biondi, Sally Unieski, Port Ludlow; Bob Brown, Nordland.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5060, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
The North Olympic Peninsula Voter Guide can be accessed here: http://issuu.com/peninsuladailynews/docs/voter_tab_1017.indd?e=1313114/9756547
