Campaign Report: Port Commission, Sara Nelson and the County Exec Race

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By
Paul Queary
-

October 22, 2025


Let’s start in the relatively obscure corner of politics — a suddenly hot race for a seat on the Port of Tacoma Commission. Former House Republican Leader J.T. Wilcox is squaring off against union leader Cyrus Donato in that race, and some notable players are taking interest. Despite the name, the port’s territory includes much of Pierce County, and it operates the Northwest Seaport Alliance in partnership with the Port of Seattle to handle maritime shipping.

Washington Conservation Action, the political arm of the environmental movement recently spent $20,000 on digital advertising supporting Donato, who works for the International Transport Workers’ Federation. Wilcox, meanwhile, got $10,000 in independent support from Concerned Taxpayers of Washington state, the right-leaning PAC founded by trucking magnate and conservative megadonor Steve Gordon.

Wilcox has a lopsided fundraising advantage in direct campaign money, with nearly $75,000 raised compared to Donato’s $36,000. Wilcox’s donor list is a who’s who of maritime and industrial players, with a smattering of Olympia money reflective of his many relationships with the business lobby. Donato’s largest donors are the state Democratic Party and members of his own family. Wilcox finished slightly ahead of Donato in a three-way primary in August.

Ports, especially major ports such as Tacoma, are often hot arenas for a variety of political fights on issues ranging from labor rights to environmental protection. For example, the Port of Tacoma is home to a massive and controversial liquified natural gas terminal. In other jurisdictions, those fights have led to progressive politicians winning port commission seats, most notably at the Port of Seattle, where there has been a generational shift.

https://www.postalley.org/2025/10/22/campaign-report-port-commission-sara-nelson-and-the-county-exec-race/