Primary Endorsements
Vancouver City Council: McEnerny-Ogle
Prior to serving on Vancouver City Council, Pat Campbell was best known locally as a wannabe politician. He had failed in four bids for elective office in five years. Now, since his upset election to the council in 2007, Campbell has done little to shed that old baggage, keeping a low profile and sidestepping opportunities to emerge as leader, innovator or motivator. By contrast, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, is one of the busiest and most forward-thinking civic activists in Vancouver. More than just the chair of the Shumway Neighborhood Association for 16 years, she is current chair of the Vancouver Neighborhood Alliance, for which she’s attended 31 meetings in two years. McEnerny-Ogle’s selfless contributions of time, energy and ideas to her community have drawn The Columbian’s endorsement in the Aug. 16 primary race for Vancouver City Council, Pos. 6. The third candidate in this race is Bill Turlay, who ran unsuccessfully for Vancouver City Council in 2009 and returns this year with his same opposition to most ideas and proposals that come before the council.
in Our View: Decision Time!
Exciting statewide and local showdowns add spice to Aug. 17 primary
Two indicators have us thinking the Aug. 17 primary could be one of the most inclusive and exciting primaries in Clark County history. Last Wednesday, a record 218,162 primary ballots were mailed from the local elections office. And, County Auditor Greg Kimsey is projecting a local turnout of up to 40 percent, a few percentage points above primary turnouts in recent years. That higher turnout projection could be attributed to the fact that several open races (no incumbent) are on the ballots. We’d also like to think the higher turnout is triggered by the popularity of the top two primary system, as well as the voters’ greater desire for civic involvement, although that last theory cannot be proved.
U.S. Senate: Murray, Rossi
There’s no doubt about the top two choices in primary race for senator
For all their differences — which will influence the most crucial decision Washingtonians will make in the summer primary — Patty Murray and Dino Rossi share one attribute: superiority over a crowded field of candidates for senator. Murray is the three-term incumbent Democrat and arguably the state’s most powerful member of Congress. Rossi is the most popular Republican in the state and a leader over Murray in one recent poll. Among 15 entries, these two politicians are the class of the field. Voters would benefit from a battle between them in the Nov. 2 election. The Columbian endorses both in the Aug. 17 top two primary (ballots were mailed Wednesday). Only one other challenger — Tea Party idol and Sarah Palin endorsee Clint Didier — has emerged as viable. He posted a 48 percent to 45 percent edge over Murray in a recent Rasmussen Reports poll. But the farmer and former football star can’t keep pace with Rossi, who raked in $1.4 million in his first month of fundraising and bested Murray in the same poll by the same margin. Fewer than 10 percent of poll respondents showed interest in other candidates; clearly, this is a two-horse race, three tops.
Clark Public Utilities commissioner: Barnes, Lyons
Top two choices for utility commissioner
On July 13, Clark Public Utilities was ranked highest in customer satisfaction among midsize electricity providers in the West (for the third straight year), and its score was highest among 121 national utilities in the study. As president of the utility’s board of commissioners, Nancy Barnes takes pride in that honor. But it’s not her first achievement in 18 years on the board. She has acquired great expertise on a complex subject that leaves other people with glazed-over eyes. Barnes talks about megawatts and grids like a 6-year-old talks about Disneyland. She’s up for re-election on the Aug. 17 primary ballot, facing four challengers. Our take on this race: Barnes and Mike Lyons (former long-time Vancouver firefighter and current commissioner in Fire District No. 5) are the top two choices.
Judicial Choices: Johnson, Sanders, Johanson
Winners will (or could) be determined Aug. 17
Voters, take special note of how three judicial races are different from other showdowns on the Aug. 17 primary ballot. Although the primary typically advances the top two vote-getters to the Nov. 2 election, it’s different in judicial races. Judicial races with two candidates are put on the primary ballot rather than waiting for November, and winners are determined in the primary. Two such races are on this year’s ballot: incumbent Jim Johnson vs. Stan Rumbaugh for state Supreme Court justice, Pos. 1, and Jill Johanson vs. Joseph Daggy for Washington Court of Appeals. Even in three-candidate races, a winner can emerge by gaining a majority of votes in the primary. There is one such race this year: incumbent Richard Sanders vs. challengers Charlie Wiggins and Bryan Chushcoff for Supreme Court justice, Pos. 6.
18th Legislative District: Rivers, Kampe
Open seat in 18th Legislative District has produced seven candidates in primary
Residents of the 18th Legislative District are used to quick decisions. About a month after scandal-plagued state Rep. Richard Curtis resigned in 2007, Clark and Cowlitz county commissioners appointed Jaime Herrera as his successor, and later that same day she was on the job in Olympia. This year, another newcomer will step into that same job quickly, by political standards. Although Herrera was mentioned as a possible replacement for retiring Rep. Brian Baird throughout the early months of 2010, it wasn’t until May 21 that she formally announced her candidacy for Congress. That left just three months for her replacement to be chosen; this time voters will make the choice. Voters in the 18th District are fortunate to have two admirable choices (among seven candidates) in the Aug. 17 primary, which will send two finalists to the Nov. 2 election. The Columbian recommends Republican Ann Rivers of La Center as the strongest candidate, with Democrat Dennis Kampe of Hockinson also qualified to advance to the fall showdown.
17th Legislative District: Hash, Harris
Another strange, exciting race is shaping up in the 17th Legislative District
How unpredictable are voters in the 17th Legislative District? In 2008, they favored Don Benton and Barack Obama. That’s right, among the district’s 62,161 voters who participated in that election, the conservative state senator (51.1 percent) and the liberal president (51.7 percent) were top vote-getters in their respective races. It’s not that the folks themselves are weird; they’re mostly normal people who live east of Interstate 205, south of Northeast 199th Street, west of Northeast 182nd Avenue and west of Camas. Think Cascade Park, Orchards, Brush Prairie, Pleasant Valley and Washington State University Vancouver. But their voting habits are trendless. Generally, it’s known as a conservative district, but both parties have won key elections in recent years in the fickle 17th.
Congress: Herrera, Castillo
Two refreshing new voices step forward in primary race for 3rd Congressional District
Christmas came early for anyone aspiring to represent the 3rd Congressional District. On Dec. 9, Brian Baird announced he would retire after 12 years in Congress. Floodgates opened on a rare open race for Congress, and six candidates bring a variety of talents, potential and promises before voters. This race holds national significance; the 3rd is considered a swing district. Democrat Jolene Unsoeld served from 1989 to 1995, Republican Linda Smith from 1995 to 1999 and Democrat Baird through 2010. George W. Bush carried the district in 2000 and 2004, Barack Obama in 2008. This transition calls for more than just a new face and a new name. It calls for new perspective. That’s why The Columbian endorses Republicans Jaime Herrera of Camas and David Castillo of Olympia as the two best candidates to advance beyond the Aug. 17 primary to the Nov. 2 election. Herrera has served impressively since November 2007 as a state legislator. She is confident, informed, prepared and enthusiastic. Castillo is a financial adviser and former deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He is bold, outspoken, aggressive and gregarious.
County assessor: Horowitz, Weaver
Two strong candidates emerge in primary for county assessor’s post
The chief role of the Clark County assessor is not to assess or appraise property value but to manage a department that does. That involves almost four dozen workers and an annual budget of almost $8 million. And that’s one reason the county assessor is paid more than $92,364 a year. Nor is the role of the county assessor to determine revenue generated by property taxes. That amount (the size of the pie) is determined by the Legislature. County assessors merely determine how the pie is divided.
County prosecutor: Golik, Boger
County prosecuting attorney’s race includes two capable candidates
While lawbreakers might start out thinking police officers and sheriff’s deputies are their worst enemies, the judicial system reveals prosecuting attorneys to be the bad guys’ ultimate archenemies. For almost three decades in our community, Art Curtis has held the powerful post of county prosecuting attorney. He drew only one political opponent through the years and none in the past dozen years. But with Curtis retiring this year, three candidates have stepped forward in the Aug. 17 primary with hopes of taking the reins and providing the Clark County prosecuting attorney’s office with new leadership. The two who are best qualified to advance to the Nov. 2 general election are Tony Golik, a major crimes prosecutor for the county, and Brent Boger, senior assistant city attorney for Vancouver.
Vancouver City Council: Hansen, Jenkins
Vancouver City Council race contested in Aug. 17 primary
Bart Hansen is an incumbent … of sorts. In late January, he was appointed to fill the vacancy created on the Vancouver City Council when voters elevated Tim Leavitt from councilor to replace long-time Mayor Royce Pollard. So Hansen has about six months on the job, after emerging from a process that included 15 other applicants. Voters have a chance this year to retain Hansen, who faces two challengers in the Aug. 17 primary (ballots will be mailed July 28). The top two vote-getters will advance to the Nov. 2 general election, and The Columbian views the two best choices as Hansen and challenger John Jenkins, respectively. Jenkins is making his second bid for the council. Like Hansen, he failed to make it out of last year’s primary race for the council seat vacated by Pat Jollota. That race was won by Jack Burkman, who ultimately voted for Hansen as Leavitt’s replacement.
In our view: ‘No’ to Libraries
Aug. 17 ballot measure asks for more money, but the timing is wrong
The most devastating economic crisis in seven decades is no time to ask taxpayers for more money, even if you’re one of the most respected, highly supported and best-run government entities in the community. Such praise of that public agency is not extended casually; it has been solidly earned by the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District. But the shroud of the Great Recession leads The Columbian — for the first time in memory — to editorially oppose a local ballot measure. On the Aug. 17 primary ballots (which will be mailed July 28), FVRL will request a levy increase to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That would mean a tax increase of about $20 per year to the owner of a $250,000 home. We recommend a “rejected” vote for two reasons, the most significant being timing, as stated in this editorial’s first sentence. But the second motivation for our opposition to the levy lid lift is almost as compelling. It has to do with need.
In Our View: ‘Yes’ on EMS Issues
Aug. 17 ballot measures seek to extend levies in Fire District 6 and Washougal
Voters in Fire District 6 and Washougal would be wise to avoid jumping to conclusions when they receive their ballots for the Aug. 17 primary. Without close review, they might be alarmed by words such as “tax levy,” “impose,” “collection,” “assessed valuation” and “authorized.” Fear not. Rather than placing new burdens on taxpayers, these two ballot measures merely ask voters if they would like to continue current funding levels for emergency medical services.
