Lewis County Democrats have informally endorsed Denny Heck, an Olympia businessman, former Clark County legislator and the founder of public affairs channel TVW, as their choice to succeed U.S. Rep. Brian Baird in the 3rd Congressional District.
The county party is the first in Southwest Washington’s 3rd District to pick a candidate after becoming the first last week to host a candidate forum. All five Democrats in the race took part in the event at Centralia College.
A total of 52 party and precinct committee officers voted. They chose Heck nearly 4-to-1 over his closest competitor, giving him 48.4 percent of the vote to 12.9 percent for state Sen. Craig Pridemore and 3.2 percent for state Rep. Deb Wallace. Another 35.5 percent said they were uncommitted to any candidate.
Candidates Cheryl Crist and Maria Rodriguez-Salazar received no votes in the polling.
County party Chairman Bob Schroeter said most precinct officers preferred Heck “based on the fact that he seemed to know a lot more about Lewis County issues, he has been down here more regularly, and his message was more of a mainstream message about jobs and economic growth that resonated with Lewis County voters.”
Some party officers also praised Wallace’s performance at last week’s candidate forum, and Pridemore did find some support in the rural county, Schroeter said.
“Pridemore has a very impressive résumé and has been a very important part of having a voice in Olympia for voters who want progressive change,” he said. “Lewis County may be looking for something different from Clark or Thurston counties. This is a little bit more of a moderate county in terms of the politics and the party itself.”
Like the state Democratic Party, Lewis County Democrats will defer a formal endorsement until a later date, Schroeter said. Those formal endorsements decide which candidate receives money and in-kind support from the party.
Neither the state Democratic Party nor the state Republican Party has announced whether it will make an endorsement in the 3rd District contest prior to the Aug. 17 primary.
Four Republicans along with the five Democrats have filed papers with the Federal Election Commission declaring their candidacies.
The two top vote-getters in the primary will advance to the general election regardless of party.
In Clark County, neither party has scheduled candidate forums or made endorsements in the 3rd District race. County Democratic Chairwoman Dena Horton said Democrats may host candidate forums in late July or early August, but no decision has been made.
Mike Gaston, executive director of Clark County Republicans, said if the state GOP does endorse, it will likely happen at a meeting of the party’s central committee.
“One of the things that will winnow the field is fundraising by the time of the state conventions,” Gaston said.
Both parties will hold their state conventions in Vancouver in June.
