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

Trader Joe’s customers walk in and out of the store on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Trader Joe’s opens this week at Everett Mall

It’s a short move from a longtime location, essentially across the street, where parking was often an adventure.

Ian Bramel-Allen enters a guilty plea to second-degree murder during a plea and sentencing hearing on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Deep remorse’: Man gets 17 years for friend’s fatal stabbing in Edmonds

Ian Bramel-Allen, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder for killing Bret Northcutt last year at a WinCo.

Firefighters respond to a small RV and a motorhome fire on Tuesday afternoon in Marysville. (Provided by Snohomish County Fire Distrct 22)
1 injured after RV fire, explosion near Marysville

The cause of the fire in the 11600 block of 81st Avenue NE had not been determined, fire officials said.

Ashton Dedmon appears in court during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett Navy sailor sentenced to 90 days for fatal hit and run

Ashton Dedmon crashed into Joshua Kollman and drove away. Dedmon, a petty officer on the USS Kidd, reported he had a panic attack.

A kindergarten student works on a computer at Emerson Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘¡Una erupción!’: Dual language programs expanding to 10 local schools

A new bill aims to support 10 new programs each year statewide. In Snohomish County, most follow a 90-10 model of Spanish and English.

Cassie Franklin, Mayor of Everett, delivers the annual state of the city address Thursday morning in the Edward D. Hansen Conference Center in Everett, Washington on March 31, 2022.  (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
At Everett mayor’s keynote speech: $35 entry, Boeing sponsorship

The city won’t make any money from the event, city spokesperson Simone Tarver said. Still, it’s part of a trend making open government advocates wary.

Logo for news use featuring the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Woman drives off cliff, dies on Tulalip Reservation

The woman fell 70 to 80 feet after driving off Priest Point Drive NW on Sunday afternoon.

Everett
Boy, 4, survives fall from Everett fourth-story apartment window

The child was being treated at Seattle Children’s. The city has a limited supply of window stops for low-income residents.

People head out to the water at low tide during an unseasonably warm day on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett shatters record high temperature by 11 degrees

On Saturday, it hit 73 degrees, breaking the previous record of 62 set in 2007.

Snohomish County Fire District #4 and Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue respond to a motor vehicle collision for a car and pole. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, near Triangle Bait & Tackle in Snohomish. (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office)
Police: Troopers tried to stop driver before deadly crash in Snohomish

The man, 31, was driving at “a high rate of speed” when he crashed into a traffic light pole and died, investigators said.

Alan Dean, who is accused of the 1993 strangulation murder of 15-year-old Bothell girl Melissa Lee, appears in court during opening statements of his trial on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
31 years later, trial opens in Bothell teen’s brutal killing

In April 1993, Melissa Lee’s body was found below Edgewater Creek Bridge. It would take 27 years to arrest Alan Dean in her death.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Snohomish in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Man dies after crashing into pole in Snohomish

Just before 1 a.m., the driver crashed into a traffic light pole at the intersection of 2nd Street and Maple Avenue.

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.