Clark County Republicans have elected Brandon Vick, former Republican 18th District legislative director and an unsuccessful candidate for the Legislature this year, as their new chairman.
Vick, a Vancouver landscape contractor, will succeed Ryan Hart, the current Clark County GOP chairman, who chose not to seek another two-year term. Hart instead was elected state committeeman, a position previously held by Brent Boger.
Boger, who ran unsuccessfully for Clark County prosecuting attorney this year, is stepping down from that post.
As state committeeman, Hart will represent Clark County as a member of the Washington State Republican Party along with state committeewoman Nancy DeLeo, who ran unopposed in her bid for re-election to the position.
Vick, 26, said he is anticipating the challenge of heading the county party organization.
“The Clark County Republican Party has made tremendous gains over the past several years,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to merging the best resources and ideas from the past with new ideas, talents, and energies. Our hard work begins today if we are to continue to function as the dominant political party in Clark County. “
In an interview, Vick said he hopes to see the party continue to make inroads into the historically Democratic 49th District, which includes West Vancouver and Hazel Dell. “I think the 49th is a big monster that we’d like to tackle.”
Republican Craig Riley, who challenged Democratic incumbent Jim Moeller in the 49th this year, “did a good job,” Vick said. “He worked so hard and got a lot of name recognition.”
He said he’d like to see the party get more involved in fielding candidates for nonpartisan races such as those for school board and city council, and expects to continue “a good working relationship” with the local Tea Party movement.
Hart said he is proud of the party’s accomplishments over the past two election cycles, including the election of a second Republican, Tom Mielke, to the Clark County Board of Commissioners, giving Republicans a majority on the three-member board for the first time in 32 years.
He noted that the Clark County Republican Party hosted the 2010 Washington State Republican Convention; helped elect a Republican, Jaime Herrera, to represent the 3rd Congressional District for the first time since 1996; and filled two open legislative seats with Republicans, electing Paul Harris to succeed Democrat Deb Wallace in the 17th and Ann Rivers to replace Herrera in the 18th.
