PORT ANGELES — A Clallam County commissioner, Steve Tharinger, and incumbent state Rep. Kevin Van De Wege are the official nominees of the Democratic Party in primary elections for the 24th District in the state House of Representatives.
Each won his nomination at a party convention Saturday in Port Angeles.
The nod to Tharinger leaves Montesano chiropractor and School Board member Jack Dwyer on the outside.
Dwyer is seeking the House seat being vacated by Rep. Lynn Kessler. He said Monday that he’s still in the race despite losing the party nomination to Tharinger, 307 to 36.
Van De Wege has no opposition from his own party.
Grays Harbor support
Dwyer said he has strong support from Grays Harbor delegates.
He said some were concerned that if Tharinger of Dungeness is elected and Van De Wege of Sequim is re-elected, both 24th District representatives would hail from the Sequim area.
The 24th Legislative District includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and the top third of Grays Harbor County, including Montesano and Hoquiam.
Candidate filing is June 7-11. In cases where offices are contested, the top two vote-getters regardless of political party will face off in the Nov. 2 general election under the state’s top two system.
Republicans do not make primary nominations.
John Marrs, chairman of the Clallam County Democratic Party — representing the most populous county in the 24th District — said 61 precinct of committee officers attended the convention at the Port Angeles Library on Saturday.
Votes are weighted based on each county’s Democratic support in the 2008 presidential election.
Tharinger received 49 votes from precinct officers compared with Dwyer’s nine. Three officers, who accounted for 18 weighted votes, did not vote for either candidate, Marrs said.
Tharinger said he was encouraged that the three abstentions were from Grays Harbor County, signaling that he is making progress in the south end of the district.
Declarations of candidacy
Tharinger hinted at running for the position in April and formally declared May 15. Dwyer announced his candidacy in late April.
Tharinger has said he would finish his full-time Clallam County commissioner term, which expires at the end of 2011, if elected to the part-time legislative post.
In a statement Monday, Dwyer questioned Tharinger’s intention to remain on the Board of Commissioners.
“This kind of double-dipping is not being supported by the voters as I speak with them,” Dwyer said.
“They want to know how he can effectively represent the interests of Clallam County, while also representing Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
