LD 10 candidates spent heavily to win votes

How much would you spend to win a seat in the Washington state Senate? To continue representing Legislative District 10, incumbent Sen. Ron Muzzall (R-Oak Harbor) spent $462,878 ahead of the Aug. 6 primary. That is $18.72 for each of the 24,724 votes he received. That won him 48.2% of the vote. He may spend that much more trying to win reelection in November.

His opponent, Janet St. Clair, an Island County commissioner, came in second, both in votes and campaign spending. In gaining 23,391 votes, 45.6%, she spent $164,123, $7.02 for each vote.

Coming in a distant third in votes, but first by a...