Here’s who’s raising the most funds in Thurston’s 22nd Legislative District primary races
There are clear leaders in terms of campaign funding for the two House seats in the state’s 22nd Legislative District, which includes all of northern Thurston County, including Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater.
Rep. Jessica Bateman, a Democrat, is facing two challengers in the Aug. 2 primary for her Position 2 House seat. Six people are running for the Position 1 seat being vacated by Democrat Laurie Dolan, who announced early this year she would not run for re-election.
Position 1
In Position 1, a familiar face has raised the most funds, placing her well ahead of the other five candidates. Democrat Beth Doglio had received $82,604 in campaign donations as of July 20, more than twice the second largest amount of $37,158 raised by Maria Siguenza, who is also a Democrat according to the Public Disclosure Commission.
Doglio served as a 22nd District representative starting in 2017, and Dolan was her seatmate. Doglio gave up her state seat in 2020 to run for the 10th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House, but lost to Marilyn Strickland, the former mayor of Tacoma.
Many of Doglio’s campaign donations are from individuals totaling $1,000 each, according to data from the PDC. Other donors include groups such as the Puget Sound Pilots PAC, Olympia Firefighters Local 468, and Washington Conservation Voters, of which Doglio is the founding director. All of these groups donated $1,000 for the primary election.
Doglio also is endorsed by Dolan and State Sen. Sam Hunt, D-according to the Thurston County Voters Pamphlet.
Most of Siguenza’s donations come from individuals totaling $1,000 or less. She also has received donations from the American Federation of Teachers and the Washington State Democratic Party.
This is the first time Siguenza has run for office, according to the voters pamphlet. She directs the State Commission on Hispanic Affairs and is involved in several groups, including the Poverty Reduction Work Group, Social Emotional Learning Advisory Committee and the Supplier Diversity Subcabinet.
Republican Loretta Byrnes is also in the running to replace Dolan. According to the PDC, she has raised $20,212. The largest donation she’s received is $1,500 from the Thurston County Republican Central Committee.
Byrnes hasn’t served in an elected position but she ran unsuccessfully for the legislature in 2016. She has worked for the State Department of Agriculture and the Thurston County Weed Board, as well as World Vision and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The three other candidates running for Dolan’s position have raised small amounts for their campaigns. Sarah Leon, a Democrat, has raised $4,125 so far. Sans Gilmore, a Republican, has raised $3,968. And Anthony Keen, another Democrat, has raised $1,341.
Position 2
Incumbent Democrat Jessica Bateman, a former council member and mayor pro tem in Olympia, is facing Republican Kate Plager and Democrat Kevin Young in the primary.
According to the PDC, Bateman has raised $44,367 in campaign donations. She has received numerous donations of $1,000 from groups such as the Washington State Medical Association, Gilead Sciences and the Thurston Lewis Mason Central Labor Council.
She also received donations from the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Squaxin Island Tribe, as well as a $757 donation from the Washington State Democratic Party. According to the voters pamphlet, she’s endorsed by Lt. Governor Denny Heck, Sen. Hunt and Rep. Dolan, as well as elected officials from across Thurston County.
This is Plager’s first time running for an elected office. She has raised $5,405 almost entirely from individuals. The largest donation allowed is $1,000 from an individual, according to the PDC.
Plager has experience as a member of the Organized Council for Wise Leadership and the Community Juvenile Program, according to the voters pamphlet. Though she’s running as a Republican, her campaign website states she has been a Democrat most of her life. It also states she’s endorsed by Keith Swank, who’s running against Strickland for the 10th Congressional District.
Young does not have any campaign filings listed through the PDC. According to the voters pamphlet, he has no formal political experience but has experience as a biologist for the State Department of Fish and Wildlife and a wildlife and land manager for an air force base.
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