SOUTH BEND - Now that the Pacific County 2020 Primary Election is complete, there were some key results in many races that will be hotly contested in the General Election November 3, when the top two primary vote-getters square off in several important state and county elections.
Of 15,580 registered voters, a total of 9,611 ballots were cast in Pacific County. The voter turnout was 61.69 percent, which is much higher than the state turnout of 54.44.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that statewide, incumbent Democrat Brian Blake with 46.61 percent of the vote, finished second to Joel McEntire (53.24), a republican, In Pacific County, Blake corralled 52.63 percent compared to 47 percent for McEntire in the Legislative Dist. 19 State Representative Pos. 2 battle.
In the Legislative Dist. 19 Representative Pos. 2, incumbent Dean Takko (D) won statewide with 44.37 percent, but actually had fewer votes than the top two republicans as Jeff Wilson had 36.97 percent and Wes Cormier was at 18.54 percent. Takko won in Pacific County.
In another encounter, countywise incumbent Republican Jim Walsh received 53.56 percent, compared to Democrat Marianna Everson (26.33%) in the Legislative Dist. 19 Representative Pos. 1 competition. Statewide, Walsh took in 57.62 percent, while two democrats followed with Everson second at 22.29, and Clint Bryson third at 20.01.
Olsen, Wolfe Tops in Commissioner Races
In the Pacific County Commissioner No. 1 faceoff, incumbent Lisa Olsen (R) placed first with 55.86 percent of the vote and Darrell Moudry (D) was second at 43.85 percent.
Incumbent Frank Wolfe (D) is first in the Pacific County Commissioner No. 2 contest with 42.49 percent and Dan Driscoll, a Libertarian (39.72%) finished second.
The Willapa Valley School No. 160 Proposition 1-Replacement of Expiring Educational programs and Operations Levy was turned down, 56.02 percent to 43.98 percent, or 614 votes to 482 votes.
The South Beach Regional Fire Authority Excess Levy for Maintenance and Operations was easily approved, 71.93 percent to 28 percent.
Statewide Matchups
In the race for governor, as expected, the top two vote getters ended up being Gov. Jay Inslee (D) (42%) and Loren Culp (R) (33%) in the county. Statewide, Inslee was tops at 50 percent and culp was second at 17 percent.
In the Congressional District 3 U.S. Representative race, incumbent Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) beat Carolyn Long (D) 53-41 in the county and had an even more commanding victory statewide.
In Pacific County, Denny Heck (D) was first in the Lt. Governor's race with 31 percent, and Marty McClendon (R) finished second at 16 percent. Statewide, Heck ended up with 25 percent. However, Marko Liias (D) was second at 18½ percent and will take on heck in the general.
The top two for Washington Secretary of State were incumbent Kim Wyman (R), 55 percent and Gael Tarleton (D), 39 percent. Statewide, Wyman won 51-43.
Republican Duane A. Davidson is on top in the state treasurer race with 53 percent over Democrat Mike Pellicciotti (47%). Oddly, it was the same percentage statewide.
Countywise, Republican Chris Leyba is on top in the state auditor's race with 50 percent of the vote over Pat (Patrice) McCarthy (D), 40 percent. However, McCarthy won the state by a margin of 47-41.
In the Washington Attorney General race with county voters, Bob Ferguson (D) (48%) won against Matt Larkin (R) (28%). Ferguson had a bigger victory statewide, 56-24.
In the county, incumbent Democrat Mike Kreidler was tops at 52 percent over Chirayu Avinash Patel (37%), a Republican, in the race for Washington State Insurance Commissioner. Kreidler took the state with 59 percent and Patel had 27 percent.
Incumbent Chris Reykdal is in a tough battle in the nonpartisan state race for Superintendent of Public Instruction with 30.51 percent over Maia Espinoza (28.48%) in Pacific County. Reykdal won the state with 40 percent and Espinoza was second at 25 percent.
The Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands has Democrat Hilary Franz as the front-runner at 51 percent statewide with Republican Sue Kuehl Pederson (23%) as her challenger.