It appears the National Rifle Association is spending more money on state elections in Washington than in any other state, and a legislative district in Clark County is leading the pack.
Between 2012 and 2016, the NRA spent $203,000 in direct contributions for Washington candidates, according to an analysis by The Seattle Times. Texas received the second-highest total with $95,000 in contributions.
Looking at a district-by-district breakdown, the state’s 17th Legislative District in Clark County received more in contributions in the 2016 election than any other. Sen. Lynda Wilson and Reps. Paul Harris and Vicki Kraft received a total of $5,850, according to data collected by the National Institute of Money in State Politics.
All three are Republicans from Vancouver.
The district was also the only one in Washington to break the $5,000 threshold in 2016. The second closest was the 5th Legislative District, east of Seattle and Bellevue, with $4,900, according to the Times’ analysis.
On an individual level, Wilson received $2,900, Harris received $1,950 and Kraft received $1,000. To be clear, these contributions only account for money given to candidates directly by the NRA’s Political Victory Fund.
Wilson said she didn’t recall how much money she specifically received from the NRA but didn’t believe it would be more than what anyone else could contribute.
“In the context of a $1.5 million dollar campaign, it’s essentially irrelevant,” Wilson said in a text message. “I don’t know about their independent expenditures on my behalf, if any, but whatever the number, it would greatly pale in comparison to what the government-employee unions spent for my opponent and against me.”
All told, Wilson has received a total of $3,850 in direct contributions from the NRA since she was first elected in 2014. She’s also received $2,000 from Safari Club International, a lobby for gun rights.
Harris has actually received the most from the NRA directly. Since 2012, he’s benefited from $5,650 in contributions.
Kraft has only received an additional $500 from the Safari Club.
The only other Clark County representatives to receive direct contributions from the NRA are from the 18th district. Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center, has received a total of $2,200, Rep. Brandon Vick, R-Felida, received $1,950 and Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, has benefited from $2,900 in contributions.
The money flowing into the state comes at a time when gun control has increasingly become a partisan issue, with Democrats calling for more restrictions on the purchase of guns, particularly assault rifles, in the wake of several shootings, including the Feb. 14 deadly attack in Parkland, Fla.
Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this week signed a bump-stock ban, prohibiting the sale of devices that enable semi-automatic rifles to fire more quickly. Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the state Senate and two-seat edge in the House.
