Jennifer Fetters, of Bellevue, works the Ted Cruz booth at the Washington state GOP convention in Pasco on Thursday. More than 2,000 Republicans from across Washington are expected to attend the convention, which runs through Saturday.

Jennifer Fetters, of Bellevue, works the Ted Cruz booth at the Washington state GOP convention in Pasco on Thursday. More than 2,000 Republicans from across Washington are expected to attend the convention, which runs through Saturday.

Republican party hopes to flip Snohomish County to its side

  • By Nicholas K. Geranios Associated Press
  • Friday, May 20, 2016 8:07pm
  • Local News

PASCO — Republicans believe they can win more statewide political offices in Washington if they are able to flip Snohomish County to the GOP side.

That’s according to Susan Hutchison, chairwoman of the Washington State Republican Party. She spoke at the group’s convention in Pasco on Friday.

Hutchison contends Snohomish County can be a swing county in the 2016 elections and could throw the governor’s race to Republican Bill Bryant and control of the state House of Representatives to the Republicans.

She likened Snohomish County to the national swing state of Ohio.

“If we flip Snohomish County, we win statewide,” Hutchison told the convention Friday morning.

She noted that Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee won the county by just 2 percent of the vote in his first run for governor in 2012.

Snohomish is mostly a blue county as its voters continue to elect a Democratic majority in its state legislative delegation, congressional delegation and county government.

Still, it is viewed as a swing county by political strategists because of what’s occurred in recent gubernatorial races.

In the historic 2004 election, Republican Dino Rossi won the county with about 6,400 more votes than Chris Gregoire. Four years later, she won Snohomish County with 52.4 percent.

And in his 2012 win, Inslee beat Republican Rob McKenna in the county by roughly 8,000 votes.

Further fueling Republicans’ optimism is that neither Gregoire in 2008 nor Inslee in 2012 collected as large a percentage of votes as Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate. That signals a potential willingness of independent voters to back a Democratic candidate for president and a Republican for governor.

Republicans typically win the majority of votes in statewide races in Eastern Washington as well as the southwest part of the state. However they struggle to do well in King County, home to Seattle and by far the most populous county in the state. McKenna won just 38 percent of the vote in King County.

Hutchison noted that Inslee won the governor’s race over McKenna despite carrying just seven of 32 counties in the state, all in Western Washington.

More than 2,000 Republicans from across the state are expected to attend the state convention, which ends Saturday. Among their major tasks is choosing delegates to the national convention and hammering out a platform.

The convention will pick Washington’s delegates to the national GOP convention in Cleveland in July. But those delegates will not know who they are supporting until after the results of the Washington primary election Tuesday. On the Washington ballot, Republicans can choose among Trump and his former challengers Ted Cruz, John Kasich or Ben Carson, who remain on the ballot.

Earlier Friday, U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., who represents central Washington, welcomed attendees.

“This is the most unpredictable and important election year in our nation in a long, long time,” Newhouse said.

He spoke about conservative principles like smaller government, less regulations, lower taxes and opposition to abortion.

He also took a shot at environmental groups.

“We are the real conservationists, not those people floating around on kayaks on Puget Sound,” said Newhouse, a farmer.

Secretary of State Kim Wyman, the only Republican elected to statewide office in the state, spoke of her efforts to protect the integrity of ballots in the state and asked for support for her re-election campaign.

“Isn’t it great to be a Republican in Washington state?” Wyman said.

Hutchison noted that Republicans will make their delegate apportionment based on the results of Tuesday’s primary, in contrast to Democrats who are using caucus results from earlier this year.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

A firefighter stands in silence before a panel bearing the names of L. John Regelbrugge and Kris Regelbrugge during the ten-year remembrance of the Oso landslide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Flood of emotions’ as Oso Landslide Memorial opens on 10th anniversary

Friends, family and first responders held a moment of silence at 10:37 a.m. at the new 2-acre memorial off Highway 530.

Julie Petersen poses for a photo with images of her sister Christina Jefferds and Jefferds’ grand daughter Sanoah Violet Huestis next to a memorial for Sanoah at her home on March 20, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. Peterson wears her sister’s favorite color and one of her bangles. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
‘It just all came down’: An oral history of the Oso mudslide

Ten years later, The Daily Herald spoke with dozens of people — first responders, family, survivors — touched by the deadliest slide in U.S. history.

Victims of the Oso mudslide on March 22, 2014. (Courtesy photos)
Remembering the 43 lives lost in the Oso mudslide

The slide wiped out a neighborhood along Highway 530 in 2014. “Even though you feel like you’re alone in your grief, you’re really not.”

Director Lucia Schmit, right, and Deputy Director Dara Salmon inside the Snohomish County Department of Emergency Management on Friday, March 8, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
How Oso slide changed local emergency response ‘on virtually every level’

“In a decade, we have just really, really advanced,” through hard-earned lessons applied to the pandemic, floods and opioids.

Ron and Gail Thompson at their home on Monday, March 4, 2024 in Oso, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In shadow of scarred Oso hillside, mudslide’s wounds still feel fresh

Locals reflected on living with grief and finding meaning in the wake of a catastrophe “nothing like you can ever imagine” in 2014.

Everett mall renderings from Brixton Capital. (Photo provided by the City of Everett)
Topgolf at the Everett Mall? Mayor’s hint still unconfirmed

After Cassie Franklin’s annual address, rumors circled about what “top” entertainment tenant could be landing at Everett Mall.

Everett
Everett man sentenced to 3 years of probation for mutilating animals

In 2022, neighbors reported Blayne Perez, 35, was shooting and torturing wildlife in north Everett.

Dorothy Crossman rides up on her bike to turn in her ballot  on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett leaders plan to ask voters for property tax increase

City officials will spend weeks hammering out details of a ballot measure, as Everett faces a $12.6 million deficit.

Starbucks employee Zach Gabelein outside of the Mill Creek location where he works on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024 in Mill Creek, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mill Creek Starbucks votes 21-1 to form union

“We obviously are kind of on the high of that win,” store bargaining delegate Zach Gabelein said.

Lynnwood police respond to a collision on highway 99 at 176 street SW. (Photo provided by Lynnwood Police)
Southbound lanes on Highway 99 reopen after crash

The crash, on Highway 99 at 176th Street SW, blocked traffic for over an hour. Traffic was diverted to 168th Street SW.

The view of Mountain Loop Mine out the window of a second floor classroom at Fairmount Elementary on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
County: Everett mining yard violated order to halt work next to school

At least 10 reports accused OMA Construction of violating a stop-work order next to Fairmount Elementary. A judge will hear the case.

Imagine Children's Museum's incoming CEO, Elizabeth "Elee" Wood. (Photo provided by Imagine Children's Museum)
Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett to welcome new CEO

Nancy Johnson, who has led Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett for 25 years, will retire in June.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.