Gregoire backers up ante by $1.3M in April

OLYMPIA — Gov. Christine Gregoire's supporters flooded the Democrat with campaign contributions in April, injecting more than $1.3 million into her rematch against Republican challenger Dino Rossi.

With about six months until Election Day, Gregoire's hot fundraising pace in April already has made her re-election bid the third most-expensive governor's campaign in state history, behind her and Rossi's 2004 efforts.

Gregoire's geyser of cash was expected, since virtually all of her fundraising this year was cut off during a January-March freeze on solicitations tied to the legislative session.

Rossi's April haul was more modest, at about $641,000.

But his take in the first four months of 2008 exceeded Gregoire's — he took advantage of her "session freeze" to pile up more than $2.7 million in contributions.

The two are on pace to wage a $20 million campaign for the governor's mansion: Combined, Gregoire and Rossi already have collected more than $10.4 million. They raised more than $6 million each in 2004, or about $13 million total.

Gregoire also has been spending money at a faster clip and, as of the end of last month, her campaign balance was about $600,000 more than Rossi's.

Her chief fundraising event during April was a visit by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former Democratic presidential candidate and Clinton administration Cabinet officer.

Nearly a quarter of the money Gregoire raised last month came in one big chunk — a $300,000 donation from the state Democratic Party.

Rossi campaign officials say they're pleased with their steady fundraising pace. Spokeswoman Jill Strait said Rossi is attracting a flood of new donors and regularly hears from supporters who didn't cut a check last time because they didn't think he could win in Democrat-leaning Washington.

"We're way ahead of where we thought we would be at this point, and the response around the state has been tremendous," Strait said.

Seattle Times staff reporter Ralph Thomas contributed to this story.