Filing ends for public offices
Published 10:59 pm Friday, June 6, 2008
Rematches, new match-ups and at least one unexpected duel. And three state lawmakers with no match-up at all.
Filing for the 2008 election season ended Friday with candidates lining up for seats in the August primary that will set the stage for November.
Statewide, some of the races to watch include those for secretary of state, state school superintendent and governor.
One of the most talked-about races in Snohomish County is bound to be in the 44th state Legislative District.
Incumbent Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, expected a Republican opponent. However, he may not have expected the one who filed.
Larry Countryman, a former Snohomish city councilman and the creator of political cartoons that lampoon Democrats, filed Thursday for the legislative seat.
“I didn’t want him (Dunshee) to be unopposed,” Countryman said.
Countryman said he remains upset about the Snohomish City Council’s sale of a sliver of parkland to Dunshee. Countryman was opposed to the sale, which enabled Dunshee to build a home on property overlooking Blackmans Lake.
Dunshee knows Countryman and there’s no love lost between the two.
“I expected a candidate. There was no way they (the Republican Party) would not put up a challenge,” Dunshee said Thursday when told of Countryman’s decision to run. In the 39th District, Democrat Fred Walser isn’t letting a criminal conviction end his campaign against state Sen. Val Stevens, R-Arlington.
Walser, the former Sultan police chief, pleaded guilty Thursday to a gross misdemeanor, admitting he gave false information to a public servant. Afterward, he said he is not abandoning the race.
A Whatcom County District Court judge ordered Walser to do 240 hours of community service and to pay the city of Sultan $20,000.
On Friday, Walser said he will not abandon his campaign.
“My mind and my plans have not changed,” he said. “Public service has been my life. I will stay the course.”
In the 1st and 38th Districts, only successful write-in campaigns would stop three Democratic incumbent legislators from returning to Olympia. Legislators running unopposed include Rep. Al O’Brien, D-Mountlake Terrace; Rep. Mark Ericks, D-Bothell; and Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett.
Races to watch this political season include:
Longtime 10th District state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen, D-Camano Island, faces opposition from Republican businesswoman Linda Haddon of Oak Harbor and Sarah Hart, also from Oak Harbor, who is affiliated with the new America’s Third Party.
44th District Rep. Liz Loomis, D-Snohomish, has opposition from Republican Mike Hope, also of Snohomish. Hope ran against Dunshee two years ago.
In the 21st District, Rep. Marko Liias, D-Mukilteo, has an opponent in 18-year-old Republican candidate Andrew Funk from Mountlake Terrace.
Another young man entering politics is 22-year-old Democrat Kyle Nelson of Kenmore, who is running in the primary against 32nd District incumbent Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park.
In the 39th District, Democrat David Personius and unaffiliated Samantha Hicks of Lake Stevens filed to run against Rep. Kirk Pearson, R-Monroe. Pearson did not have an opponent in 2006.
Also in the 39th, Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, has a rematch against Democrat Scott Olson of Monroe.
At the state level, Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire will face former opponent Republican Dino Rossi. Eight other candidates also filed for that race.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson faces five challengers in a nonpartisan race.
Three people want Republican Secretary of State Sam Reed’s job, including Democrat Jason Osgood and two Independent candidates.
Two other Democrats want the 2nd Congressional District seat held by incumbent U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash. Doug Schaffer of Snohomish and Glen S. Johnson of Mount Vernon will face Larsen in the primary. Republican Rick Bart, former Snohomish County sheriff, is the lone Republican filing for the congressional seat.
Herald political writer Jerry Cornfield contributed to this report.
Reporter Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427 or gfiege@heraldnet.com.
