The battle for an open House seat in Snohomish County remained undecided Tuesday night.
Only a few hundred votes separated Republican Mark Harmsworth and Democrat Mike Wilson, who are competing to succeed Mike Hope, the Republican lawmaker who resigned in July.
Harmsworth, a Mill Creek city councilman, led Wilson, a high school teacher, by 768 votes, 51.9 percent to 47.8 percent after the first night of ballot counting.
The winner will serve a two-year term representing residents of the 44th Legislative District that includes Mill Creek, Lake Stevens and Snohomish.
Both political parties considered this seat up for grabs and that led to nearly $1 million being spent by candidates and an array of independent political committees funded by labor unions and business associations.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, where a coalition of 23 Republicans and two Democrats rule, the Republican Party looked to gain two seats to secure an outright majority.
Mark Miloscia, a former Democratic lawmaker now running as a Republican, is in good position to pick up one. He was leading Democrat Shari Song by 13 points in the 30th District on Tuesday.
In the meantime, Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, who is a member of the GOP-run Majority Coalition Caucus, held a double-digit lead on Democrat Irene Bowling, who is the Democratic Party-backed candidate. If Sheldon and Miloscia win, the GOP will maintain its hold on the state Senate.
When the year began, the Republican Party thought it might be able to pick up a seat by dislodging Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens.
But Hobbs rebuffed the challenge and Tuesday appeared headed to a third term as he held a comfortable lead on GOP hopeful Jim Kellett of Snohomish 56.4 percent to 43.3 percent.
21st District
Democrat Strom Peterson is waging a strong bid to succeed retiring Rep. Mary Helen Roberts.
Peterson, an Edmonds city councilman and local business owner, led Republican businessman Allen McPheeters of Lynnwood 59.9 percent to 39.8 percent. McPheeters is the chairman of the 21st District Republicans.
Meanwhile Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, appointed to his seat when Democrat Paull Shin resigned, seems assured of staying in office as he led Republican challenger Dan Matthews, 54.6 percent to 45.1 percent. If Liias wins he will earn a full four-year term.
Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, named as Liias replacement earlier this year, tallied 58 percent to Republican Jeff Scherrer’s 41.7 percent in Tuesday’s balloting. If she holds on to win, she’ll earn a full two-year term.
38th District
Voters are re-electing Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, and retaining Sen. John McCoy, D-Tulalip, and Rep. June Robinson, D*-Everett, in positions to which they were appointed in the past year.
Sells, who is seeking a sixth term, was easily defeating Republican-turned-Libertarian Elijah Olson of Everett, 68 percent to 31.3 percent.
McCoy, appointed to fill a vacancy in 2013, was defeating Republican Craig French of Everett 62 percent to 37.5 percent.
Robinson, named to fill McCoy’s seat earlier this year, was ahead of Everett attorney Jesse Anderson 56.9 percent to 42.8 percent. Anderson had not been actively campaigning since starting a new legal practice.
44th District
Rep. Hans Dunshee, D-Snohomish, who is looking for a 12th term in the Legislature, edged ahead of Republican Rob Toyer, a Marysville city councilman, 52.3 percent to 47.5 percent.
1st District
Incumbent Reps. Luis Moscoso of Mountlake Terrace and Derek Stanford of Bothell appear headed to re-election.
Moscoso led Republican businessman Ed Barton of Bothell 54 percent to 46 percent while Stanford was handily beating Republican Mark Davies of Bothell 58.6 percent to 41.4 percent.
39th District
Rep. Elizabeth Scott, R-Monroe, appeared certain to earn a second term as she was soundly beating Democrat Charles Jensen of Sedro-Woolley, 60.6 percent to 39.4 percent.
Rep. Dan Kristiansen, R-Snohomish, the House Minority Leader, won a seventh term as he faced no challenger in this election.
10th District
Reps. Dave Hayes, R-Camano Island, and Norma Smith, R-Clinton, were getting re-elected by wide margins Tuesday.
Hayes, who is seeking a second term, is beating Democrat Nick Petrish of Anacortes 59.2 percent to 40.8 percent.
Smith is on her way to a fourth term with an impressive showing in which she is defeating Libertarian Michael Scott of Camano Island 77.4 percent to 22.6 percent.
32nd District
Voters Tuesday were re-electing Democratic Sen. Maralyn Chase of Shoreline, and Rep. Ruth Kagi of north Seattle by huge margins.
Chase, who dispatched a Democratic foe in the primary, collected 71.4 percent against Republican Robert Reedy, a licensed insurance agent, who had 28.6 percent.
Kagi, who is seeking a ninth term, garnered 71.6 percent against Republican businessman Alvin Rutledge who tallied 28.4 percent.
Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, faced no challenger enroute to winning re-election.
Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
* Correction, Nov. 5, 2014: This article originally misstated June Robinson’s party affiliation.
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