PORT TOWNSEND — Reeling after severe general election losses, Jefferson County Republicans fear the new all-Democratic Jefferson County commissioners will put less emphasis on economic development.
The shift is radical, considering Jefferson County had an all-Republican board just two years ago.
County GOP leaders said they see the political shift as more to do with voter backlash from discontent with the Bush administration than with local issues.
Jim Hagen, the highly vocal vice chair of the Jefferson County Republican Party, said, “There’s no question that the anti-Bush factor has been huge. Bush has really energized the Democratic base.”
Departing County Commissioner Pat Rodgers, R-Brinnon, who chose not to run for personal reasons, mourned the loss of a Republican voice on the commission.
“It helps if there are different points of view and that has been lost,” he said.
“I’m disappointed we’re not going to have the kind of balance that Ian [McFall] would have brought the board.”
Brinnon Republican McFall, a retired software company owner, lost his bid to succeed Rodgers.
Democrat John Austin of Port Ludlow received 9,259 votes, or 62.19 percent, to McFall’s 5,497 votes, 37.59 percent, in Tuesday’s general election.
Austin, a retired psychologist, in January will join Phil Johnson, D-Port Townsend, and David Sullivan, D-Cape George, on the board of commissioners.
Rodgers, a retired businessman, said the board no longer will have a business-minded commissioner who will be able to carry the county through its economic strife.
“Basic economic education has been lost,” Rodgers said.
He pointed out that the board will now be comprised of a retired psychologist, a former registered nurse — Sullivan — and a building contractor — Johnson.
“Thank god we have [Administrator] John Fischbach,” Rodgers said.
“He’s going to be even more valuable now.”
Fischbach said the political pendulum swing to an all-Democratic board probably won’t have much of an impact.
“The issues in the county are clear: [Tri-Area] sewer and economic development,” said Fischbach.
“I don’t expect [an all-Democratic board] to really affect the county.”