U.S. SEN. MARIA CANTWELL became Seattle’s most celebrated self-funded candidate when her RealNetworks wealth allowed her to pump some $9.2 million into her successful $11.5 million campaign to dump incumbent Slade Gorton. While Seattle city races haven’t seen the likes of Cantwell or presidential self-funders Ross Perot and Steve Forbes (who threw away $63 million and $37.4 million, respectively, on their ego-driven presidential campaigns), there are a few would-be local politicians who know how to write a check. According to the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, donations from candidates to their own campaigns made up about 9 percent of city-race war chests in 1997 and about 9.3 percent in 1999. The following candidates are the top self-funders in city races since 1995 (with campaigns raising less than $20,000 exempted).
James Bush
| Candidate (year) | Total raised | Candidate donation
(% of total) |
|---|---|---|
| Dian Ferguson (1997) | $23,238 | $10,371 (44.6 percent) |
| Jane Noland (1997 mayoral) | $229,769 | $87,826 (38.2 percent) |
| Pat Strosahl (1995) | $104,520 | $33,132 (31.7 percent) |
| *Tina Podlodowski (1995) | $249,931 | $77,978 (31.2 percent) |
| Thomas Whittemore (1999) | $23,811 | $7,235 (30.4 percent) |
| *Jim Compton (1999) | $155,657 | $45,083 (29 percent) |
| *Margaret Pageler (1999) | $92,010 | $21,959 (24 percent) |
| Sherry Harris (1995) | $134,779 | $24,664 (18.3 percent) |
| Curt Firestone (1999) | $61,266 | $10,420 (17 percent) |
| Alec Fisken (1999) | $71,910 | $10,167 (14.1 percent) |
| *Sue Donaldson (1995) | $57,490 | $5,576 (9.7 percent) |
| Thomas Goldstein (1997) | $97,051 | $9,311 (9.6 percent) |
| Dawn Mason (1999) | $106,385 | $9,516 (8.9 percent) |
| *Richard McIver (1997) | $97,402 | $5,536 (5.7 percent) |
| Bob Rohan (1996) | $178,355 | $9,604 (5.3 percent) |
| Aaron Ostrom (1999) | $112,738 | $5,695 (5.1 percent) |
* won election
