A war veteran, a scientist, an organic farmer and a party loyalist.
Four Democrats say they are united in their goal of breaking the Republican majority on the Snohomish County Council.
But first, these distinctively different candidates must spend money running against each other in the primary – a ticket that leaves county Republicans with a Cheshire grin.
“We feel glee when we see a party divided,” said Steve Neighbors, chairman of the Snohomish County Republican Party. “We’re certainly glad it didn’t happen to us. Our donors know exactly who to focus on.”
The battles are over who will represent the county’s largest County Council districts at a time when the county is debating how it will grow and change.
County Democrats nominated former County Councilman Dave Somers and party stalwart Marian Harrison to face incumbent Republicans Jeff Sax and John Koster.
Then a Supreme Court ruling threw out the “top two” primary system approved by voters, saying it infringed on the political parties’ right to choose their own candidates.
The decision opened the door for Suzanne Smith and Steve Hobbs to run as Democrats, though each had lost in party nominations. Sax and Koster are not challenged in the primary, so they will advance straight to the general election.
Hobbs has been endorsed by County Executive Aaron Reardon, a point that especially stings within the party, said Mark Hintz, chairman of the Snohomish County Democratic Party.
“I expect everybody to get behind the party nominees,” Hintz said.
Somers lost to Sax in 2001 by 1,478 votes and wants a rematch. He blasted the current County Council as pro-growth.
“I am not happy with current direction of the council or Jeff Sax with regard to growth management,” Somers said.
Somers prides himself on being a scientist comfortable with dissecting facts, and cites his four years on the council as a key advantage. He was elected on a slow-growth ticket in 1997, and is backed by the environmental community.
Somers faces first-time candidate Hobbs, a former Army captain who served in Iraq and Kosovo. Hobbs said he has been campaigning door-to-door in his desert Army boots after burning through some dress shoes.
He said being raised by a single mother on government assistance makes him better able to represent the district.
Hobbs said he is driven by public service, citing eight years in the Army overseeing overseas military operations. “The only thing I’ve wanted to do in life is work in the public sector,” Hobbs said.
The other major ticket this primary election has Harrison facing Smith.
Smith is a landscaper and organic farmer. She said she is driven to protect the planet, something she tries to teach by example.
“Part of my farm in Marysville is a demonstration site of how you can do farming prosperously and have habitat,” Smith said.
She said her advantages are experience as a Marysville City Council member and a strong work ethic.
Harrison said she wanted to make sure Koster had a challenger.
“I’m not running against the candidate, I’m running for the seat,” Harrison said. “I am running because I think we need a change in the County Council.”
She’s a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, the daughter of a pioneer African-American family that came to Everett from Illinois. She grew up on dairy and chicken farms here.
“I bring a historical perspective to the future,” Harrison said.
She stumbled into politics by attending a caucus and becoming a party delegate. Two decades later, she has a resume thick with Democrat party political campaigns and committee work.
“I’m grass-roots, but I can work with the big boys,” Harrison said.
Money is scarce in the Democrat coffers, compared with what Republican incumbents are pulling in.
Smith has loaned her campaign $10,000 and raised some through donations, while Harrison has raised $12,861. By comparison, Koster has more than $186,000.
Somers has raised more than $57,000, and Hobbs has about $20,000 in donations and loans. Sax has nearly $130,000 in donations.
Neighbors said Snohomish County has never had a Republican county executive, so it’s imperative to maintain a Republican majority on the council for balance.
Having two Democrats in the primary is good, because it makes each candidate work harder, Hobbs said.
“Actually, it’s a combined effort. We’re both going after Jeff Sax,” Hobbs said.
Somers disagreed.
“It definitely benefits Jeff Sax,” Somers said.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
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