Seattle mayoral candidate James Donaldson, the 7-foot-2 former Seattle SuperSonic player, has (somewhat inexplicably) been hovering in third place in the last two SurveyUSA polls (at 14 percent and 11 percent, respectively)—agonizingly close to the coveted second spot in November's top-two showdown with (most likely) incumbent Greg Nickels.

Donaldson has never been involved in electoral politics, and even once joked in a P-I interview that he was entering politics as a way to deal with his mid-life crisis. According to the polls, Donaldson has received equitable support across the race, gender, and political spectrum. In other words, his numbers aren't being propped up by any particular group.

So just who is supporting him? Endorsements listed on Donaldson's website, which only just came online recently despite being in the race for months, shows an unusual bunch. Despite his relatively high polling numbers, Donaldson has not received the endorsement of any major political action groups or Democratic Legislative Districts, and the individuals who are backing him seem to fit into three major groups: former athletes (like Gary Payton, Michael Cage, and Lorenzo Romar), local Baptist church members, and Republican businessmen.

The latter group includes timber company CEO Jim Warjone, who gave over $2,500 to Republicans Dave Reichert and Gordon Smith in 2008 as well as $2,000 to George W. Bush (plus over $1000 each to local Democratic pork purveyors Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Norm Dicks); investment banker William Wurts ($750 to George W. Bush in 2004 and $350 to Dino Rossi in 2008); and Bradley Root ($335 to Rossi in '08).

So the question remains: Is Donaldson, who has been working with a number of Democratic consultants and agreed on many of the issues with his fellow candidates at a recent forum, a closet Republican?

The campaign did not respond to a request for comment.