Gluesenkamp Perez piles up campaign cash as reelection battle looms

Two Democratic House members expected to be Republican targets in next year’s congressional elections are outraising potential opponents by comfortable margins, newly released campaign finance reports show.

U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, whose unexpected win in 2022 flipped a Republican-held seat, reported $705,000 raised in the three-month period ending June 30 in filings with the Federal Election Commission.

She amassed $1.53 million for next year’s anticipated rematch with Republican Joe Kent, who she defeated by 2,629 votes in southwest Washington’s 3rd District. Kent raised $433,000 with $185,000 coming in the second quarter. Gluesenkamp Perez  had $1.2 million on hand to Kent’s $371,000 as of July 1, per their reports.

Filings with the Federal Election Commission cover the three months of fundraising ending June 30 plus totals for the election cycle which began Jan. 1, 2023. The latest reports were due July 15.

Rep. Kim Schrier, another expected GOP target, collected $695,000 in the second quarter, boosting her total for the cycle to $1.29 million. She had $1.23 million on hand on July 1.

Two years ago, Schrier overcame three Republican opponents in the primary then beat Republican Matt Larkin in November to win a third term representing the 8th District which includes parts of King, Pierce, Snohomish and Chelan counties. She raised $9.6 million in that election cycle.

Thus far, one Republican challenger has emerged, commercial banker Carmen Goers. She’s raised roughly $43,000 since entering the race, including loaning $15,000 to the campaign, per the reports.

Each of Washington’s 10 House incumbents recorded a haul in the six figures, per the reports.

Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a former House leader and current chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, reported $948,000 in receipts in the quarter. That is the most of any member of Washington’s House delegation. Overall, she’s brought in $2.1 million with $1.6 million unspent. Ann Marie Danimus, a Democrat, did not report raising money this quarter.

Democratic Rep. Suzan Del Bene, who as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is leading the Democratic effort to regain the House majority in 2024, had the next best quarter. The former leader of the New Democrat Coalition raised $483,000 and has nearly $1 million on hand with no announced opponents.

Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell collected $2 million to push her total to $5.65 million in the first six months of the year. After expenditures, she reported $3.1 million in cash on hand on July 1. Three potential opponents have yet to report raising any money.

The duel between Gluesenkamp Perez and Kent will garner much electoral attention next year, unlike 2022 when few gave the Democrat much chance of success. In the 2022 contest, they each wound up raising close to $4 million.

The latest filings show Gluesenkamp Perez garnering $128,286 from political action  committees representing unions and businesses, such as bankers and optometrists.

She also received money from the Blue Dog Coalition of which she is a co-chair. This is an alliance of Democrats who, according to the coalition web site, “represent the commonsense, moderate voice of the Democratic Party, appealing to mainstream American values.”