GOP decides not to run in 19th District
Monday, August 9, 2004 3:14 PM PDT
by M. L. Madison
Printable version
E-mail this articleIt's official: no Republicans are running for any of the three open legislative seats in the 19th District, or County Commissioner George Raiter's position.
Although filing week ended on July 30, political parties had until 5 p.m. Friday to submit candidates to fill vacancies in partisan races.
Democrats usually win 19th District legislative races with large majorities. Last year, state Sen. Mark Doumit of Cathlamet and Rep. Brian Blake of Aberdeen each won the election with more than 60 percent of the vote. When Rep. Brian Hatfield of Raymond ran in 2002, he also garnered more than 60 percent of the vote.
This year, all three will run unopposed. The 19th District includes parts of Cowlitz and Grays Harbor counties, and all of Pacific and Wahkiakum counties.
In contrast, all three legislative races in the 18th District, which includes parts of Cowlitz and Clark counties, are contested.
Raiter, who is seeking a second four-year term, faces a primary challenge from Lexington's Jeff Hart. The winner of the Sept. 14 primary election will move on to the general election, where he could be challenged by a write-in candidate, according to the Cowlitz County Elections office.
In the other commissioner's race, two Kelso Democrats, Kathleen Johnson and Jon Dieter, are challenging incumbent Democrat Bill Lehning for the party nomination. Kelso's Gary Archer is running for the Republican nomination for the seat.
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