Politics by Evan Smith: Scantlebury leads Shoreline candidates in fundraising

By Evan Smith

City Council candidate Ginny Scantlebury leads all Shoreline city council candidates in fundraising and campaign spending for the Tuesday primary and November general election.

State Public Disclosure Commission reports show that Scantlebury has raised $28,965, an amount inflated by $22,374 in contributions from herself. She has spent $22,523.

Scantlebury reports $500 contributions from both Frank Lumber and Kylemont Industries, which makes the doors that are a Frank Lumber specialty. Other $500 contributions have come from Shoreline residents Judith Lehde, Diana Pitner and John Sims Jr.

Incumbent City Councilwoman Doris McConnell has raised $6,079 and spent $7,907.

The fundraising includes $1,000 from Robin Montero of Shoreline and $500 each from Thomas McCormick of Shoreline and William Montego of Shoreline. She has a $458 contribution from the Washington State Democrats.

A donor is allowed to give a candidate up to $500 for the general election and $500 more when there is a primary.

McConnell has small donations from Shoreline City Council members Betsy Robertson and Keith Scully.

The third candidate, David Chen, also has raised more than McConnell. He has raised $18,363 and spent $17,029, with a campaign debt of $4,427.

The Washington Realtors Political Action Committee has made a $10,000 independent expenditure for mailings supporting Chen.

Chen has $1,000 contributions from Ben Halpern-Meekin of Shoreline, Judy Chen-Meekin of Shoreline, Hai Chen of Lake Forest Park, Joe Cheng of Seattle, Charley Lee of Seattle and Richard Wong of Sammamish. Chen has four $500 donors and a $455 contribution from the state Democrats. He has small contributions from Democratic State Rep. Lauren Davis, and from Council members Keith McGlashan,Will Hall and Shari Winstead.

The three candidates are on the Tuesday primary-election ballot, with the top two candidates advancing to the Nov. 3 general election.

Two other Shoreline Council positions will appear only on the November ballot because they have only two candidates each.

For one of those positions, appointed incumbent Betsy Robertson has reported raising $11,586 and spending $5,889. Challenger Luis Berbesi reports no campaign fundraising or spending.

Another incumbent, Keith Scully, has raised $6,173 and spent $3,110; challenger Vivian Collica has not registered with the state Public Disclosure Commission.

8/6/19 correction: Contributor to the campaign of Doris McConnell is William Montego, not Montero.