Everett, Wash.
Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Incumbents leading in legislative districts 10, 21, 32 and 39

By Bill Sheets, Jerry Cornfield and Yoshiaki Nohara
Herald Writers

 The early vote returns of Tuesday's primary election didn't show any surprises in four different legislative districts -- the incumbents all led. In districts that lie entirely within Snohomish County, the results were based on only about 22 percent of the votes counted Tuesday.

10th District

State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island and Republican Linda Haddon of Oak Harbor are headed for a showdown in November in one of the most closely watched legislative races this year.

Haugen led with about 53 percent of the votes counted Tuesday. She is seeking a fifth term in the 10th Legislative District that covers parts of Snohomish and Skagit counties and all of Island County. Haddon trailed with 42 percent and Sarah Hart of America's Third Party was a distant third with 5 percent.

Haugen, 67, has been a state lawmaker since 1983.

The state Republican Party has targeted Haugen for defeat and intends to provide Haddon with ample support for the fall election. Since December, the party has criticized Haugen most often for her role in transportation and oversight of the state ferry system.

Haddon, 59, a certified life celebrant, is a former Island County planning commissioner.

In another race in the district, Democratic challenger Patricia Terry of Camano Island seems to have secured a chance to take on Rep. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, in November, early vote returns showed Tuesday night.

The two candidates had a lead over Ann McDonald, a Greenbank Democrat.

Bailey is seeking a fourth term in Olympia. Bailey gained about 55 percent of the votes counted Tuesday, followed by Terry with 27 percent and McDonald with 19 percent.

If re-elected, Bailey said she wants to focus on improving the state's ferry system, which affects her district.

Terry, a health systems evaluator and longtime nurse, said she would focus on health care, environmental stewardship and farmland protection along with the responsive management of public money.

McDonald, a Coupeville port commissioner, said that if elected, she would focus on transportation, education and military affairs.

21st District

Incumbent Rep. Mary Helen Roberts, D-Edmonds, appeared headed to a November contest with Republican Brian Travis of Lynnwood.

Roberts far outdistanced Travis and her other Republican challenger, Douglas Ivar Kerley of Lynnwood.

Roberts, a two-term incumbent, received 9,293 votes to 3,355 for Travis and 1,411 for Kerley.

"I like that kind of a percentage," Roberts said. "It certainly creates high contrast for the general (election)."

Roberts said she didn't campaign much because of a health issue, but it's been resolved now.

Roberts, 60, ran a small business importing folk art from Asia before she was elected to the Legislature in 2004. She served for eight years on the Edmonds Community College Board of Trustees.

In Olympia, Roberts focuses on issues related to children and education.

Travis, 33, thanked the voters for supporting him and said he spent less than $1,000 on campaigning for the primary election.

"On a shoestring budget I've done the best I could," he said, going door to door, visiting businesses and attending candidate forums. "I plan to continue the effort and step it up. I look forward to a great general election campaign against Rep. Roberts."

Travis is most concerned about traffic and property taxes. He works for New Concepts in Marketing, which promotes food and household sundry products. It's a national company with an office in Bellevue.

32nd District

Rep. Maralyn Chase, D-Edmonds, and Republican Alex Rion were leading independent Margaret Wiggins in the 32nd District, which straddles the King-Snohomish county line.

Chase, a three-time incumbent, easily outdistanced her two challengers in the strongly Democratic district. The percentages were nearly identical in both counties, with a total of 6,366 votes for Chase, 2,573 for Rion and 1,007 for Wiggins.

"I love these voters," Chase said. "It's an affirmation of their support and I'm so grateful."

Chase, 66, was appointed to the Legislature in 2001.

Rion, 45, a real-estate broker, is a newcomer to the state and to running for office. He moved from Michigan to unincorporated King County near Kirkland in March. His primary campaign theme has been addressing a projected $2.7 billion state budget deficit.

Wiggins, 55, of Bothell, is a Northshore Utility District board member.

39th District

Incumbent Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe, and his Democratic challenger, David Personius, held safe leads over Samantha Hicks, a Lake Stevens-based independent, according to the early vote returns Tuesday night.

Pearson was leading the race with about 55 percent of the votes counted Tuesday. Personius had 33 percent of the votes, followed by Hicks with 12 percent.

Pearson is running for his fifth two-year term. He said he has skills to work with Democrats to get things done. For example, he said he sponsored two successful bills during the last legislative session to give people better protection against identity theft and flood damage.

Personius, a longtime union member for electrical workers, said that Pearson has stayed in Olympia for too long and lost touch with regular working people. He wants to bring a change, said Personius, of Arlington.

Peronius said the primary results were what he had expected in the 39th Legislative District, which stretches over rural areas in Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom and King counties.

He plans to have town hall meetings and mail fliers to appeal to voters toward the general election.

Hicks said she has secured no donations or endorsements to make her campaign independent.
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA