Tim Walz in Seattle area for private fundraiser

SEATTLE – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz blew through the Seattle area Tuesday, extracting cash from wealthy local donors at an Eastside fundraiser to spend in swing states that will decide the presidential race.

Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president, spoke to a small group of donors at a morning event at the Hunt’s Point waterfront mansion of former Costco CEO and co-founder Jim Sinegal and his wife, Janet.

With no public appearances, Walz’s visit affected most area residents by tying up rush -hour morning traffic as his motorcade and police escort zoomed along Interstate 5 and across the 520 bridge.

In a 14-minute speech to the few dozen people on hand at Sinegal’s home, Walz asked for support from the well-heeled local donors in solidly Democratic Washington to help carry pivotal swing states like Pennsylvania, Nevada and Wisconsin.

“This country is very divided, and because of that this election is going to be very, very close margin of error,” Walz said.

Walz contrasted what he said were unifying themes of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris and the divisive rhetoric of Republican nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

Walz pointed to recent media reports that Trump had weighed politics in doling out federal disaster relief as president, including initially resisting aid to California after wildfires in 2018 because of the state’s Democratic dominance.

“As a governor, I saw what it was like when Donald Trump was president during the COVID pandemic. He basically threw governors into ‘Hunger Games’ at each other to get basic lifesaving things,” Walz said.

In contrast, Walz said Harris would seek to be “a president for all Americans.”

Walz excoriated Trump and Vance for saying “vile things” about Haitian immigrants in Ohio, spreading false rumors that forced the Republican governor there to send police “to escort kindergartners who are here legally just to go to their school.”

The small audience of a few dozen invitees included Microsoft President Brad Smith and ex-Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who got a shoutout from Walz. Washington and Minnesota have a lot in common, Walz joked, but “one thing that’s not in common is Super Bowl rings — congratulations, coach Carroll.”

Raj Singh, the CEO of health care company Accolade, was also a co-host, according to a fundraiser invitation.

The donors sat on sofas in the high-ceilinged room of Sinegal’s mansion, amid glass sculptures and other art, getting an up-close and intimate experience with the potential future vice president. Reporters were allowed to watch only the portion of the fundraising event at which Walz delivered his brief comments.

The fundraiser — with tickets running up to $250,000, according to Bloomberg News — was to benefit the Harris Victory Fund, a joint-fundraising committee that can raise six-figure checks to support the presidential campaign across multiple states.

Sinegal, who retired as Costco CEO in 2011, has been a reliable Democratic benefactor, hosting top politicians at his home, including then-President Barack Obama in 2014. In 2012, Sinegal spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, defending the Obama administration’s economic record against Republican attacks.

Walz’s visit — his first to the state since Harris picked him as the vice presidential nominee in August — was part of a packed West Coast fundraising blitz.

On Sunday and Monday, he was in San Diego and Los Angeles for events before arriving in Seattle to spend Monday night. After the brief morning event at Sinegal’s home Tuesday, he departed from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for Sacramento and a fundraiser hosted by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Jim Brunner: 206-515-5628 or jbrunner@seattletimes.com