Candidates for District 30’s State Representative position 2 opening have less than a month to prove they deserve the opportunity to represent the South Sound.

Five candidates are vying for the position vacated by Rep. Skip Priest, who is running for Federal Way mayor. The candidates are Katrina Asay, Jerry Galland, Anthony Kalchik, Carol Gregory and Ed Barney. They are competing for a chance to represent Algona, Auburn, Des Moines, Federal Way, unincorporated King County, Milton and Pacific. Gregory is the only Democrat in the race.

The field will narrow after the August 17 primary. The top two candidates will proceed to the general election. Here’s a rundown of how much money their campaigns have raised, how much they’ve spent and who has contributed to their efforts.

Asay

Katrina Asay, current Milton mayor, has raised $13,250 and has spent $46, according to the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission’s website. Asay has a variety of contributors, including representatives of several business sectors, private citizens and personal funds. The Washington Association of Realtors contributed $1,600 to Asay. Premera Blue Cross is another top contributor at $500. Asay also contributed $10,000 of her own money.

One of the highest private donations, $100, came from Federal Way resident Ed Opstad. Opstad, who served as Rep. Priest’s treasurer in the past, contributed to Asay’s campaign because she is recommended by Priest and he feels she has a successful record serving the city of Milton.

“I will be interested to learn more about her,” Opstad said. “She has favorably impressed me so far.”

Another $100 donation arrived from Rep. Bruce Dammeier of the 25th Legislative District. Dammeier contributed to Asay’s campaign because he knows her personally and has seen her hard work pay off as Milton’s mayor, he said.

Gregory

Carol Gregory, who competed against Priest for the State Representative position in 2008, has brought in $18,266. She has spent $356, according to the PDC. Gregory’s top donations come from the Democratic party and political action committees. Her highest contribution was $5,000 from the House Democrat Campaign Committee. The City of Destiny PAC, a Tacoma group, gave $800. The Justice Political Action Committee also gave $800. The NARAL Pro-Choice Washington PAC donated $200.

Kent resident Barb Frazier gave $200 as well. Frazier has donated money and time to Gregory’s campaign and said she plans to continue doing so because she believes Gregory acts on behalf of issues she is passionate about, such as education and small business.

Frazier has known Gregory since the 1960s, when the women attended the University of Washington together. They have been friends since.

“I’ve known her all that time,” Frazier said. “I know what she believes in and I know how she’s acted out on that.”

Kalchik

Anthony Kalchik, a leader in the Slavic community, has raised $3,099 and has not spent anything yet, according to the PDC. Several of Kalchik’s donations come from local residents also of Slavic origin.

Many small donations have come from residents whom Kalchik’s campaign has contacted in an effort to familiarize them with the American voting process, and let them know it’s legal and acceptable for them to vote in the United States, campaign manager Paul Kalchik said. Anatoly Kalchik is hoping to spark their interest in getting involved in politics, Paul Kalchik said.

“We’re Americans and we need to be a part of this government and a part of this system,” he said.

Galland

Jerry Galland, an unincorporated King County resident, has raised $6,122 and spent $1,035. Galland’s campaign is fueled by donations from private residents and a $5,000 loan from himself.

“I didn’t want to be hobbled because of lack of funds up front,” Galland said.

Federal Way resident Jane Balogh, who in 2007 made headlines when she sent in an absentee ballot signed with her dog’s name and footprint to illustrate how easy it is to fraudulently vote in Washington state, also contributed to Galland’s campaign. Balogh donated $20. She supports Galland because he is behind e-verify, an Internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.

“E-verify is a really big issue for me,” Balogh said. “Many of the people I’ve spoken with have been wishy-washy with me.”

Galland is in the middle of transitioning from reporting his campaign earnings by mail to reporting electronically, PDC spokeswoman Lori Anderson said. Due to this, only a handful of his contributors are currently listed on the PDC’s website. More up-to-date contributions will be shown on the PDC website once the reporting process is complete.

Barney

Ed Barney is still in the race, but has not reported raising or spending any money. Barney said he is door-belling and putting up signs, but does not plan on doing any major fundraising until after the primary election.

“We have limited contributions,” he said. “Most of it is being done word of mouth.”

For now, his election materials are being paid out of pocket and are considered a loan from himself. He is unsure how much materials will cost, as he is yet to receive an invoice for them, he said.

Roger Flygare dropped out of the race in June.

Learn more

Learn more about the State Representative position 2 candidates from 6 to 8 p.m. July 26 at Federal Way Little Theater, 30611 16th Ave. S. Examine the candidates’ campaign contributions in full at www.pdc.wa.gov.

Check it out

Other Legislature candidates include Tracey Eide (D) and Tony Moore (R) for the a State Senator position and Mark Miloscia (D) and Shawn Sullivan (R) for State Representative position 1.

Eide’s campaign is working with $56,078 and has spent $12,107, according to the PDC. Moore has raised $18,490 and has spent $8,914. Miloscia’s campaign has raised $13,876 and has spent $1,474. Sullivan’s campaign has gathered $1,885 and has spent $1,310.