politics

Carolyn Long Wins 1st Round Of Fundraising Race Against Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler

By Jeff Mapes (OPB)
Oct. 16, 2019 8:30 p.m.

Washington Democrat Carolyn Long is making a fast fundraising start in her planned rematch against Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler, the Republican from Clark County.

Since announcing on July 8, Long has raised more money than Herrera Beutler, according to disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

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Democrat Carolyn Long, left, and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler met at a Sept. 18, 2018 debate in Woodland, Washington.

Democrat Carolyn Long, left, and U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler met at a Sept. 18, 2018 debate in Woodland, Washington.

Molly Solomon / OPB

Reports covering the three months ending on Sept. 30 showed that Long raised about $600,000 while Herrera Beutler brought in just over $450,000.

Herrera Beutler defeated Long by just over 5 percentage points in 2018. That was the tightest race the Republican has faced since she first won election in 2010, and it’s prompted national Democrats to put the district on their target list for 2020.

Since Donald Trump was elected to the presidency in 2016, many formerly safe Republican seats have come into play — to the point that Democrats retook control of the House last year.

At this point, Herrera Beutler has more money in her campaign fund, about $760,000 compared to about $470,000 for Long. But the incumbent congresswoman has been raising money ever since the last election while Long didn’t start until July.

In the last three months, about a third of Herrera Beutler’s money — about $150,000 — has come from political action committees connected to a welter of business interests as well as fellow Republican lawmakers. Long received $37,500 from political action committees, including unions and groups promoting Democratic women for Congress.

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