Democrat Steve Tharinger and Republican Jim McEntire are expected to face off in the Nov. 2 general election for the state House of Representative Position 2 position, based on first-round voting in Tuesday’s primary election.
Incumbent Democrat Kevin Van De Wege and Republican challenger Dan Gase were leading for state House Position 1 seat.
If the results hold, both legislative positions will be held by Clallam County residents — and may even be held by Dungeness Valley residents.
But the race between Tharinger and McEntire for Position 2 — which is being vacated by the retiring Rep. Lynn Kessler — was far closer than that of incumbent Van De Wege vs. Gase.
District-wide — the area includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and the northern half of Grays Harbor County — Tharinger, a Clallam County commissioner and a resident of Dungeness, had 11,344 votes, or 38 percent, to McEntire’s 10,924 votes, or 36 percent.
McEntire, a retired Coast Guard captain and one of three Port of Port Angeles commissioners, is from Sequim.
Further down in Position 2 balloting, Democrat Jack Dwyer of Montesano had 4,620 votes, or 15 percent, and Republican Larry Carter of Port Ludlow had 3,226 votes, or 11 percent.
For Position 1, Van De Wege, of Sequim, had 17,106 votes, or 56 percent, to Gase’s 7,891 votes, or 26 percent.
Gase is from Port Angeles.
Third in Position 1 balloting was Republican Crag Durgan of Port Ludlow, who had 5,706 votes, or 19 percent.
More ballots are expected to come into county auditors’ offices by Friday, by which time more are expected to be counted.
Only ballots received by Monday were counted Tuesday night.
The top two vote-getters advance to the Nov. 2 general election regardless of party affiliation.
“Obviously, we have work to do in Clallam County and Grays Harbor, but I think these are pretty positive numbers,” Tharinger said Tuesday night.
“Obviously, this is going to be a close campaign.”
McEntire said he was “gratified” by the results.
“I look forward to continuing the competition with my counterpart county commissioner, Steve Tharinger.”
Dwyer, a chiropractor, said he would throw his support behind Tharinger.
“It was not a good night for me, but it’s OK,” Dwyer said.
“We need to save this seat for the Democratic Party.”
Carter, a retired Navy command master chief petty officer, said he would throw his support behind McEntire.
Van De Wege, a Clallam County Fire District No. 3 firefighter-paramedic, said he was “pleased” by the results.
“This is what we expected to happen,” he said.
“I think people wanted to hear about jobs, and that’s what I was able to campaign on. People liked my work there and that’s what people want to hear.
For Gase, a real estate managing broker, the results were “a perfect report card,” he said.
“I am looking forward to getting out and spending more time in Jefferson and Grays Harbor counties to meet more of those folks,” Gase said.
“Overall, I think we are on the right track.”
Durgan, a retired marine engineer, said Tuesday night that he was not ready to concede but added it’s likely
He said he will support Gase if the latter advances to the fall election.
The district has more than 84,000 voters, about three-quarters of whom live in Clallam and Jefferson counties.
The positions pay $42,106 a year.
Van De Wege, 35, has filled the Position 1 seat since 2007 and is the Democratic Party’s deputy majority whip in the lower house.
Durgan, 53, and Gase, 56, criticized Van De Wege for voting to suspend Initiative 960, the tax-limiting mandate passed by voters that requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to approve tax increases.
They also criticized him for legislative spending they said was wasteful.
Van De Wege defended the I-960 suspension, saying the state had to patch a $2.6 billion deficit.
He also touted efforts that led to PenPly moving into the old KPly plywood mill in Port Angeles and other efforts that led to state Highway 520 floating bridge pontoons being built in Grays Harbor.
Tharinger, 61, emphasized his political experience as a county commissioner and his efforts at keeping Clallam County debt-free.
But Tharinger was repeatedly accused of “double-dipping” for wanting to keep his county commissioner job if he wins election to the state House.
Tharinger said he would not draw his $63,502 commissioner salary during the three-month legislative session but would attend commissioners’ meetings during that time by phone.
McEntire, 60, said he will resign his paid port commissioner position if elected.
He championed spending cuts and pushed his own experience in helping to put together budgets for the Coast Guard and the port.
Carter who, like Durgan, lives in Port Ludlow and is a supporter of the tea party movement, focused in the campaign on making spending cuts and not raising taxes, saying the state needs to look at its budget the same way as do families.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.