A report released by the Bush campaign this week lists Smith and Dunn, along with Susan McCaw, wife of cellular tycoon Craig McCaw of Washington state, among about 100 "Rangers," a new campaign group whose members raise at least $200,000 each for the Bush effort.
Dunn is chairman of the Bush-Cheney campaign in Washington state, while McCaw is one of three finance co-chairs in the state.
Dunn, who raised $1 million for Bush in 2000, has raised about $650,000 so far this year. While Bush lost Washington by about 5 percent in 2000, Dunn said she is confident Bush can win it in 2004.
"This time the people know George Bush, and I think they respect him as a very strong leader," Dunn said Thursday. "A lot more people are engaged in the campaign this time around."
Kevin Mannix, the Oregon Republican chairman, also predicted Bush would do well in a state he lost by fewer than 7,000 votes three years ago.
While Democrats lead in voter registration in Oregon, the gap has narrowed to about 42,000, "and we are continuing to gain on the Democrats," Mannix said.
Bush also has paid a lot of attention to the state, visiting last year and again in August.
Bush raised $1 million at an Aug. 21 fund-raiser at the University of Portland, and another $1.7 million the next day at an event at the McCaws' Hunts Point estate outside Seattle.
While Smith, Dunn and McCaw earned Ranger status, six other Northwest residents were listed as "Pioneers," a slightly less exclusive group whose members raised at least $100,000 each.
The Washington state Pioneers are Microsoft chief financial officer John Connors; retired Alaska Airlines Chairman John Kelly; and Wayne Perry, CEO of Edge Wireless. Connors and Perry are co-chairmen, with McCaw, of the Bush-Cheney finance committee in Washington state.
Molly Bordonaro, a Portland consultant and regional chairwoman of the Bush campaign in the Northwest, is one of three Oregon Pioneers. The others are restaurateur Bill McCormick of McCormick and Schmick's fame, and Paulette Pyle, grass roots director of Oregonians for Food and Shelter, an advocacy group for the pesticide industry. McCormick, a longtime Smith supporter, is finance chairman of the Bush campaign in Oregon.
The nine Northwest politicos and business executives are among the volunteer fund-raisers who have helped Bush raise at least $83.9 million since starting his re-election campaign last spring.
The Olympian Online