Appointees leading in area legislative races; few close ones

EVERETT — The preliminary results are in and for most legislative races in and straddling Snohomish County lines, it wasn’t too close.

Republicans Mark James and Greg Gilday were the leading vote-getters and moved on in the 44th and 10th legislative districts, but both races had a Democrat separate themselves from their inner-party rivals.

Elsewhere, a duo of recent appointees in the 38th District appear poised to advance and face GOP challengers this fall. Incumbents in the seven districts representing parts of Snohomish County all fared well and are leading their challengers after Tuesday’s count.

Snohomish County election officials predict turnout for the election will be around 40%. About 26.5% of those ballots were tallied Tuesday. The next round of results is scheduled to be released late Wednesday afternoon.

The top two candidates in each race will advance to the Nov. 3 general election regardless of party affiliation.

Here are results from some of the most closely watched contests for state and local offices:

44th Legislative District

Republican Mark James was ahead Tuesday night with Democrat April Berg primed to be his challenger in the 44th Legislative District.

James earned 45.8% to lead the primary for House position 2. Berg of Mill Creek received 33.1%, followed by Anderson who has 21%.

The winner will succeed Rep. Jared Mead, D-Mill Creek, who did not seek re-election after getting appointed to the Snohomish County Council earlier this year.

In the race for Position 1, Rep. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek, faces one opponent, Snohomish Mayor John Kartak, a Republican. Since they are the only candidates, both will advance to the general election. Lovick led handily in early primary results.

The 44th District covers Lake Stevens, Mill Creek and Snohomish, part of Marysville and the outskirts of Everett.

10th Legislative District

In the race for House Position 1, the lone Republican, Greg Gilday, is leading with 44.1%. Angie Homola is in second place with 28.3% in a crowded field of four Democrats.

Candidates are vying to replace Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, who served 12 years before deciding not to seek reelection.

Suzanne Woodard has 17.6% and Scott McMullen 7%. Democrat Ivan Lewis is in fifth.

Position 2 incumbent Rep. Dave Paul, D-Oak Harbor, finished first and collected 49.9% of the vote in his quest for a second term. Republican Bill Bruch of La Conner will challenge Paul in the primary after finishing second with 46.5%. Progressive Taylor Zimmerman from Mount Vernon received 3.5% and finished third.

Sen. Ron Muzzal, R-Oak Harbor, and Democratic challenger Helen Price Johnson both advanced to November’s general election.

The 10th District covers all of Whidbey Island and Camano Island, as well as parts of south Skagit and north Snohomish counties, including the cities of Mount Vernon, La Conner and Stanwood.

38th Legislative District

Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, had a lead Tuesday with 46.3% as she looks to win her Senate seat for the first time after being appointed in May. Republican Bernard Moody of Everett secured his spot on the November ballot with a second-place finish and 39.8%. Democrat Kelly Fox finished third with 13.8%.

After being appointed by the Snohomish County Council to the House seat vacated by Robinson in May, Rep. Emily Wicks, D-Everett, was ahead with 50.7%. Republican Bert Johnson of Tulalip had a firm grasp on second place with 37.7% followed by Democrat Lacey Sauvageau and Libertarian Jorge Garrido.

Rep. Mike Sells, D-Everett, and challenger David Wiley, a Libertarian, will both advance.

The 38th Legislative District encompasses Everett, Tulalip and part of Marysville.

21st Legislative District

Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, and Republican Brian Thompson of Edmonds were comfortably ahead Tuesday night.

Peterson, who is running for his fourth two-year House term, led with 57.7% followed by Thompson with 33%. Democrat Gant Diede of Everett was in third with 9.2%.

In the district’s other House race, incumbent Rep. Lillian Ortiz-Self, D-Mukilteo, and Republican Amy Schaper had a firm lead.

A state representative since 2014, Ortiz Self garnered 66.4%. Next, Schaper, of Lynnwood, had 31.2% and Everett’s Willie Russell, a nonpartisan candidate, was in third.

The 21st District covers Mukilteo and parts of Edmonds, Everett and Lynnwood.

39th Legislative District

After finishing her first full term, incumbent Rep. Carolyn Eslick, R-Sultan, earned 46.7% and is leading for House positon 2 in the 39th District. Democrat Ryan Johnson was in second with 37.5% and Republican Sandy Mesenbrink trailed at 15.6%.

Incumbents Sen. Keith Wagoner, R-Sedro-Woolley, and Rep. Robert Sutherland, R-Granite Falls, both advanced to the general election. Progressive Kathryn Lewandowsky will challenge Wagoner for the Senate and Claus Joens will contest Sutherland for House position 1.

The 39th District takes in rural areas of Snohomish and Skagit counties, and a sliver of King County. It includes the cities of Arlington, Monroe, Sultan, Gold Bar and Index.

1st Legislative District

Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-Kirkland, had firm control of her race with 64.3% of the votes. Republican Jeb Brewer holds an edge on the second spot in the general election with 23.9% and fellow Republican Gary Morgan is in third with 11.5%.

Incumbent Sen. Derek Stanford, D-Bothell, and challenger Republican Art Coday both advanced to the November ballot. The same is true for Rep. Davina Duerr, D-Bothell, and her opponent Republican Adam Bartholomew.

The 1st District covers parts of King and Snohomish counties, including Bothell, Mountlake Terrace and Kirkland.

32nd Legislative District

With three Democrats vying for House position 1, incumbent Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, a 10-year veteran in the House, has 64% of the vote. Shirley Sutton earned 24% of the vote, good enough for second as Keith Smith has 9.6%.

After finishing her first term, Rep. Lauren Davis, D-Lynnwood has a large lead in the race for the general election. Davis earned 73%, nonpartisan candidate Tamira Smilanich received 15.7% and Democrat Gray Peterson is third with 9.8%.

The 32nd District straddles the border of Snohomish and King counties. It includes Edmonds, Lynnwood, Woodway and Shoreline, along with parts of Mountlake Terrace and Seattle.