Spending on 2022 legislative races approaches record levels

Spending in state legislative races approached record levels during the 2022 cycle.

Candidates vying for the 26^th District Senate seat have reported spending a combined $1.6 million, placing it in line to become at least the third costliest legislative race in state history – just behind the T’wina Nobles-Steve O’Ban contest in the 28^th District in 2020, which saw a combined spending of $1.8 million between the two.

Incumbent Emily Randall and challenger Jesse Young have reported more than $1.7 million in contributions so far and could report additional receipts in the coming days. If they spend all the money on hand, their campaigns could top the Nobles-O’Ban race. Reports disclosing spending over the last week, as well as any post-election expenditures, are due Dec. 12.

In the House, the race for Position 1 in the 42^nd District between incumbent  Alicia Rule and challenger Tawsha Dykstra Thompson is shaping up as the costliest House race in Washington state, with combined spending reported by the candidates of $865,729. That’s more than the current record in that category: the race between Teri Hickel and Carol Gregory in 2015 in the 30^th District, which saw combined spending by the candidates of $821,735.

Rule's reported expenditures of $491,649 also makes hers the single highest spending House campaign in state history, surpassing the $433,514 spent by 10^th District candidate Dave Paul in 2020.

You can find financial reports from campaigns on our website, www.pdc.wa.gov. From the home page, click on Political Disclosure Reporting Data.

To find record-setting campaigns from past years, scroll to the bottom and click on Historic Record-Setting Campaigns.