OLYMPIA – Democrats expect to fatten their majorities in the Legislature this fall, hoping that friendly national trends and a few key open seats could strengthen the party’s grip on Olympia.
The biggest prize would be firmer control of the state Senate, where last session’s Democrats held a 26-23 majority. A few GOP losses would drain the feisty minority’s main source of power: the ability to hinder the Democratic agenda.
Republicans say they’re ready for the challenge and have good candidates in place for races in the crucial suburban swing districts, Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt said.
State Republicans, however, also have to deal with negative headlines that continue to weigh down their national candidates. Until the votes are counted, it may be hard to tell if the anti-GOP sentiment is trickling down to the local level.
“Our original polling this year showed people can distinguish differences between national and state politics,” said Hewitt, R-Walla Walla. “But still, when you’re in our position, it’s a little tenuous because you just never know.”
Among the closely watched races is the contest between Democrat Derek Kilmer and Republican Jim Hines, for the seat vacated by retired Sen. Bob Oke, R-Port Orchard.
Kilmer left a House seat in the same district to run for Senate; Hines, a candy salesman, made his name campaigning for sex-predator punishments in the Legislature.
A potentially close race farther north pits Sen. Luke Esser, R-Bellevue, against resigning state Rep. Rodney Tom. Tom didn’t just leave the House to challenge Esser – he also jumped from the GOP to the Democrats.
Open seats in Kent and Kirkland also have contests, and each party’s got a short list of potential pickups in enemy territory.
But even though it’s seen as a good year for national Democrats, state leaders say they can’t assume that any pro-Democrat tide will be strong enough tide to tip local races.
“We have so many races really close,” said Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent. “We just won’t know until Election Day where we’re at.”
House lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are hoping to see a few seats change hands, but observers aren’t predicting any changes broad enough to significantly trim the Democrats’ 56-43 majority.
The trio of representatives who left the House to seek Senate seats have left spots for the parties to fight over, along with the job of retiring Rep. Gigi Talcott, R-Tacoma.
The Democrats’ main target for a takeover may be Rep. Jan Shabro, R-Bonney Lake. She’s drawn a challenge from former Rep. Chris Hurst, who left the seat a few years ago but is trying to stage a comeback.
For Republicans, freshman Rep. Tami Green, D-Lakewood, is a tempting target. Republican Bob Lawrence, who lost a close race to Green in 2004, survived an unexpected primary challenge to secure the rematch.
Republicans in both chambers expect to do well in Eastern Washington, despite Democratic hopes of replacing Sen. Brad Benson, R-Spokane, with Democrat Chris Marr.
But Democrats happily note that a challenge against longtime Walla Walla Rep. Bill Grant, the Legislature’s only Eastern Washington Democrat outside of Spokane, seems to have fizzled.
They also would like to score a coup with Ron Bonlender, a Democratic Yakima City Council member, who is challenging Republican Naches Mayor Charles Ross for an open seat.
Olympia Rep. Sam Hunt, chairman of the House Democratic Campaign Committee, sees promise east of the mountains: “I think that area of the state is where the east side of Lake Washington was six or seven years ago.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
