成人X站

After a surprise rise to the general election for 8th Congressional District, Tony Ventrella is taking a novel approach: rather than raise campaign donations, he wants his supporters to donate to charity.

鈥淧eople are going to say, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e crazy, how are you going to do this, you can鈥檛 run a campaign.鈥� You鈥檙e right,鈥� Ventrella told 成人X站 Radio’s Dori Monson. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 not running a campaign. I鈥檓 running a campaign to ask people to support the folks who really need the money. Campaigns don鈥檛 need any more. They have millions, just go look at the senate and governor鈥檚 races.鈥�

Results: Washington state’s key primary election races

Tony Ventrella, who spent decades on KING-TV as a sports anchor, pulled in 17 percent of the primary votes counted as of Tuesday night, despite dropping out of the race last month. He had urged voters to not check his name on their ballots.

Ventrella, who spent decades on KING-TV as a sports anchor, urged voters to not check his name on their ballots.

That didn鈥檛 seem to matter.

Ventrella pulled ahead of fellow Democrat Santiago Ramos but fell well behind incumbent Republican Dave Reichert. Reichert has thus far blown away the competition with 57 percent of the vote.

鈥淎pparently the message didn鈥檛 get out or some people decided, 鈥榃hat the heck, let鈥檚 do this anyway, Reichert鈥檚 going to win.鈥� Who knows what the reasons are,” Ventrella said. “Even if you add up all the Democrat percentage points, it still comes to about 43 or 44 to his 56, so it鈥檚 a tough race anyway for a Democrat. But that鈥檚 not why I got out. I got out just because I just didn鈥檛 feel right being in.鈥�

Ventrella told Dori he dropped out June 30 after rising about $20,000, a good chunk of which came from relatives.

鈥淚 decided at that point, this is not how I want to do this, and there are only two things to do,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ither I had to step out or start calling 400-500 people who give to campaigns all the time bugging the daylights out of them for a race that maybe I win, maybe I don鈥檛 win. And I just did not have the appetite to do it. And from what I鈥檇 seen from the endorsement meetings and some of the committee meetings I went to, I was not impressed 鈥� even with my own party, to be honest with you 鈥� and I decided this is not for me. I wouldn鈥檛 have known if I hadn鈥檛 tried it for six, seven or eight weeks. But I knew at that point and, frankly, I still know. The difference is, by law in Washington, I鈥檓 on the ballot in Washington no matter what.鈥�

Ventrella鈥檚 proposal is to have his 8th congressional district supporters give to the many needy organizations.

鈥淚鈥檓 on the ballot, there鈥檚 nothing I can do about that,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I get more votes and need to serve the 8^th District in Congress I will be happy to do it and I鈥檒l work my tail off for two years. But, first of all, that鈥檚 unlikely. Secondly, even if it doesn鈥檛 happen that鈥檚 fine. But what I will do, instead of campaigning, instead of raising money, I鈥檓 going to suggest that people, yes vote for me if you want, but even more important, give to the nonprofit of your choice 鈥� not in my name, but in your own name. Let鈥檚, as citizens, support some of these groups that are getting no government support anyway and let鈥檚 do it. Because I think, as citizens, we need to do the work that government either can鈥檛 do or is unable to do because congress, as you know, hasn鈥檛 done a thing in the last four to eight years. And part of it is because they鈥檙e spending all their time raising money.鈥�

Ventrella said he won鈥檛 be knocking on doors but will likely keep his website up in order to answer policy questions.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to use this as a statement against big money and politics,鈥� he said.

He said he would be happy to debate Reichert, but that the Republican probably wouldn鈥檛 agree to it.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got a pretty good lead, there鈥檚 no reason for him to want to or need to debate at this point,鈥� he said.

Dori asked if the major Democrat shareholders will be ticked off at Ventrella for not actively campaigning. Ventrella said it was possible, but noted that neither the King County nor the Pierce County Democrats endorsed his campaign.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what to say at this point,” he said. “They weren鈥檛 supporting me in the first place, so I don鈥檛 know why this would make a difference.

Still, Ventrella said he would support it if there were a way for King County Elections to change the law to allow one of his two opponents who came within four or five points of him to move forward.

鈥淣o! Absolutely not!” Dori responded. “I want everybody to write in your name. Or, wait, you鈥檙e on the ballot. They don鈥檛 even need to write it in. I want everyone to vote for you in the General now.鈥�

Dori noted that Reichert is the classic rags-to-riches story: He received no support from the party, raised little money for the campaign and had dropped out of the race but still finished second.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e Rocky, that鈥檚 what you are,鈥� Dori said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e Rocky Balboa in the first movie.鈥�

鈥淥f course, he did go the full 15 and lose in decision,鈥� Reichert responded. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how close this decision was 鈥� 57 to 17. I don鈥檛 think that was a split decision, to be honest with you.鈥�