Despite the fact that the money leaders in all three of this year’s city council races (positions 4, 6, and 8) are in the same fundraising ballpark, one in particular stands out for its voter contact methods. Position 4 candidates Sally Bagshaw and David Bloom, unlike other candidates, have taken their race to cable TV.
Both Bloom and Bagshaw have spent nearly $20,000 on production and television ad buys. Bagshaw’s spot hypes her broad collection of endorsements, but mostly focuses on her career as a prosecutor, mother, and volunteer. Bloom, on the other hand, sets himself up as a neighborhood guy and touts his numerous Democratic district endorsements. The three other candidates in the position 4 race (Plants, Tobin, and Carver) are running their campaign on shoestring budgets, but if Dorsol Plants had gone on TV, he undoubtedly would have featured his endorsement from The Stranger.
Over in the races for positions 6 and 8, everything is going through the mail. Each of the candidates in the wide open position 8 race (Mike O’Brien, David Miller, Bobby Forch, Rusty Williams, Robert Rosencrantz, and Charile Royer) have sent out mailers of various sizes (in the $10,000-$25,000 range), to the homogeneous point where nothing is terribly notable.
But in the race for position 6, where Nick Licata is the only incumbent seeking re-election this year, things are bit more interesting. Likely general election challenger Jessie Israel has spent about $25,000 of her $73,000 raised on mail pieces, while Martin Kaplan dropped a mind-blowing $45,000 of his $77,000 on a series of mailers to Seattle voters. That is nearly twice as much as any other candidate in the race. Nick Licata, confident that he will move into the top-two general election, has spent next to nothing on mail pieces. He also has $43,000 cash on hand out of the $104,000 he’s raised so far, while everyone else running for their life is at or around zero.
“running for their life”?
I wasn’t aware Sarah Palin was in town.
“. . . . if Dorsol Plants had gone on TV, he undoubtedly would have featured his endorsement from The Stranger.” Hmmm. Bryan, you’re going to go blind from so much self-stimulation. In spite of that, an interesting post.
Charile Royer, is that Council Candidate Jordan Royer’s cross-dressing alter ego?
Stranger you continue to put the “K” in Kwality!
Lots of mistakes in this story, get out much?
Anyway, Conlin is up for reelection too but not on the primary ballot because of only one challenger………..
I just want to take a moment and thank the huge number of volunteers that have helped me demonstrate a 3rd; unmentioned, technique to campaigning. For the past couple of months, they have tirelessly gone with me to festivals, made phone calls( not robocalls) and walked from door to door discussing the changes we need in Seattle. While it may not be as glamorous as a tv ad or as expensive as mailing, it is the way American politics has been done for centuries.
Personally, as a voter I preferred getting to speak directly to my candidates and his/her volunteers. I’m proud and thankful to my volunteers that we have and will continue to campaign this way.
I’d vote for Charlie Royer if he ran instead of his son. Israel’s endorsements ad is the most creative yet, she should buy some cable time.