Haven leads Hover, Moore trails Goehner
The Aug. 4 primary election did not decide any local races, but did produce some interesting scenarios for those contests in the November general election.
In Okanogan County, about 3,000 ballots remained to be counted as of Monday (Aug. 10), according to the county auditor’s office, with the next report expected on Wednesday (Aug. 12). Here’s an overview based on the latest reported results:
• Challenger Katie Haven, a Democrat, maintained a very slim lead — just 22 votes — over incumbent Andy Hover, a Republican, in the race for the District 2 seat on the Okanogan County Board of Commissioners. Haven was drawing 50.3% of the vote (1,898), to Hover’s 48.1% (1,876). Both are Methow Valley residents.
• Incumbent Chris Branch was outpolling challenger Shauna Beeman in the race for the District 1 seat on the Okanogan County Board of Commissioners. Branch, who does not declare a party affiliation, drew 56% (1,393) to Republican Beeman’s 43.3% (1,094).
In the primary, only residents of District 2 (which includes the Methow Valley) voted for either Hover or Haven, while only residents of District 1 voted for either Branch or Beeman. All of the candidates advance to the November general election, where they will compete for countywide votes to win their respective positions.
• First-term incumbent 12th Legislative District Rep. Keith Goehner (R-Dryden) had a substantial districtwide lead over Adrianne Moore, a Winthrop resident who is running as a Democrat, for the Position 1 seat. Goehner was drawing 65% of the votes (27,361) in District 12, which includes Okanogan, Grant, Chelan and Douglas counties, while Moore was drawing 35% (14,759). However, the race was much closer in Okanogan County, where Goehner tallied 52% (2,440) to Moore’s 48% (2,251) in early returns. Both candidates will advance to the November general election.
• Only incumbent Mike Steele, a Republican, filed for the 12th Legislative District Position 2 seat. Incumbent District 12 Sen. Brad Hawkins was also unchallenged.
• In the crowded 4th U.S. Congressional District race, incumbent Dan Newhouse, a Republican, was polling 57.7% (83,785) against five other candidates. In second place was Douglas E. McKinley of Richland (a Democrat), who drew 26.5% (38,543), well ahead of any other candidate. In Okanogan County, McKinley drew 32% (3,182) of the vote compared to Newhouse’s 56.7% (5,650). The top two finishers advance to the general election.
• The governor’s race is headed for a west side-east side showdown in November. Incumbent Jay Inslee, a Democrat, handily won first place in the 36-candidate field with about 50.3% of the vote (1,075,056). In second place was Republican Loren Culp, the police chief in Republic, with about 17.3% (370,642) of the vote. In Okanogan County, Culp drew 47% (4,821) to Inslee’s 33% (3,409). Culp was the leader in 11 of Washington’s 39 counties, including all those in north-central Washington.
