Jim Jensen, Former Tacoma Port Candidate From Gig Harbor, Halts Fundraising: Report

GIG HARBOR, WA - A candidate for Position 1 on the Tacoma Port Commission from the Gig Harbor area has notified the state that he will no longer collect campaign contributions, according to a report. That move follows an announcement earlier this month by Jim Jensen, 37, that he would leave the race, which came after he was questioned about a tranche of inflammatory tweets he apparently wrote. Jensen admitted to writing some "completely insensitive" tweets, some of which were racially-charged and sexist.

Jensen notified the state Public Disclosure Commission this week that he would no longer solicit contributions for his campaign, according to the Tacoma News-Tribune.

However, Jensen still has a chance to proceed past the August primary. The Pierce County Auditor has pointed out that Jensen missed the filing deadline to remove his name from the ballot. Unless he takes the issue to court, his name will still be on the ballot.

Also running for the Position 1 spot are Superior Court Judge John McCarthy and former port security director Eric Holdeman. At least as far as money, Jensen appeared to be the front-runner in the Position 1 race. He had raised close to $150,000, and prominent Pierce County Republicans - Rep. Dick Muri, R-Steilacoom, Pierce County Republican Chair Marty McClendon - attended his campaign kickoff event.

The Twitter account in question has been deleted. But according to screenshots from the News-Tribune, the tweets took aim at left-leaning causes and people. One tweet called comedian Amy Schumer (whose father is a cousin of Democratic U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer) "fat" and "dumb."

"I still have not seen a black person ever following commands. IF you don't listen to the police, they will shoot you. Pretty simple," read one tweet sent to Black Lives Matter activist Deray McKesson in September 2016.

"Several tweets I wrote were completely insensitive, unacceptable and unkind. I wrote things on Twitter that I don't believe and certainly would never think were acceptable to say. They do not represent me as a person, husband or father," Jensen wrote in a statement when he resigned his campaign.

Image via Jim Jensen