'Unlike any other year': Campaign cash spikes across Washington state in 2020

Cash has poured into this year’s elections like never before.

The 2020 election is smashing records in Washington and nationally, from voter turnout to the money aiming to influence those voters.

Donors in Washington state have already pumped $52 million into the 2020 presidential race, twice as much as they did when Donald Trump ran against Hillary Clinton four years ago.

Spending in support of both parties has jumped, but it’s jumped more for Democrats:

• Joe Biden has pulled in nearly three times more in donations from blue-leaning Washington than Trump has.
• Nationwide, this federal election is expected to cost $14 billion, with state races adding another $6 billion.

“The amount of campaign contributions occurring in 2020 is unlike any other year," said researcher Stacey Montemayor with the National Institute on Money in Politics, also known as followthemoney.org. "I don’t know that it’s exponential, but it certainly feels exponential.”

All those political ads, often misleading and demonizing, mean huge windfalls for TV stations, online platforms and campaign consultants.

Google reports selling $681 million in political ads since May 2018.

It’s not just the presidential contest, either.

Eight of the 10 most expensive U.S. Senate races ever are taking place right now, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, as Democrats hope to gain control of the Senate.

A few fund facts on the 2020 election:

• The biggest individual donor from Washington in this year’s election is Connie Ballmer, philanthropist and wife of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. She gave $7 million to gun-control group Everytown for Gun Safety. The group formed by billionaire Michael Bloomberg has given at least $9 million to defeat Donald Trump this year, according to Federal Election Commission data.
• The biggest non-individual donor from Washington: Amazon. More specifically, Amazon’s wealthy executives and techies have plunked $4.2 million on various campaigns this year, according to followthemoney.org, with 92% of contributions supporting Democrats. Separately, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s father, Miguel Bezos, and mother, Jacklyn Bezos, have each given $1 million to a superPAC that aims to elect veterans.
• One non-record-breaking race: the 2020 race for Washington governor doesn’t appear likely to make even the top five for that seat, according to the Washington Public Disclosure Commission. Incumbent Democrat Jay Inslee is buoyed by a 2.5-fold cash advantage as he attempts to gain a third four-year term against Republican challenger Loren Culp. Inslee has raised $8.1 million to Culp’s $3.2 million.