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<< Previous   of   Next >> (click to enlarge) Linda Haddon and Mary Margaret Haugen   ADVERTISEMENT   Mary Margaret Haugen Hometown: Camano Island Occupation: State senator Party Affiliation: Democrat Age: 67 Experience: State Senate, 1993-present; chairwoman, Senate Transportation Committee; House of Representatives, 1983-93; Stanwood school board; former owner-operator of beauty salon; vocational training. Web site: www.marymargarethaugen.com Linda Haddon Hometown: Oak Harbor Occupation: Life celebrant Party Affiliation: Republican Age: 60 Experience: Life celebrant; Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce; Island County Planning Commission, 1993-95; Member, task force to protect Whidbey Naval Air Station from closure. Web site: www.lindahaddon.com   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 10th Legislative District Senator: Haugen-Haddon matchup is closely watched By Jerry Cornfield Herald Writer State Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, and Republican challenger Linda Haddon of Oak Harbor are competing in one of the most closely watched legislative races in the state. They are battling for a four-year term in the 10th Legislative District which includes all of Island County and parts of Snohomish and Skagit counties. Haugen, 67, won a seat as a state representative in 1982 and a decade later was elected to the Senate. She is seeking a fifth term. She is a senior member of the Senate and one of its most influential. As chairwoman of the transportation committee, Haugen plays a major role in setting policy and deciding how the state spends billions of dollars on roads, bridges, buses and ferries. Haddon, 60, is a former Island County planning commissioner who served on the community task force that helped prevent closure of Whidbey Naval Air Station in the early 1990s. Haugen trumpets her experience as invaluable for serving the district and vital for serving the state next year when the Legislature deals with a projected budget deficit. Haddon calls the 26-year incumbent a career politician and argues it is time for a change. She tells voters the looming fiscal problems are occurring with Haugen in office and her Democratic Party in control of the Legislature. Haddon also is counting on voter frustration with transportation, particularly a ferry system that is providing less service between Whidbey Island and Port Townsend than a year ago. Both candidates said they won't vote to raise existing taxes. Both support bringing a four-year University of Washington branch campus into the three-county area. This race is drawing a lot of attention and money from both political parties because Republican contenders nearly knocked Haugen out of office in 2000 and 2004; the senator won re-election with slightly less than 51 percent of the vote in those contests. Haugen had raised nearly $229,000 and Haddon almost $136,000 as of Oct. 9. Reporter Jerry Cornfield: (360) 352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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