Baumgartner, Shea lead GOP charge in Washington Legislature

Local incumbents easily held on to their seats in the Washington Legislature, helping Republicans move toward taking firm control of the state Senate.

Republican Sen. Mike Baumgartner easily won re-election in the 6th District with nearly 57 percent of the vote against Democratic challenger Rich Cowan in one of the most expensive races in the state.

Baumgartner’s win was one of a string of closely watched races that Republicans were leading handily Tuesday evening. It’s a trend that could give the GOP control of the state Senate without the need to form a coalition with conservative Democrats.

Democrats were likely to keep control of the state House.

Cowan said he knocked on more than 23,000 doors in the 6th District, the last ones at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, just 45 minutes before the voting deadline. When the first results showed him badly trailing Baumgartner, Cowan said he thought he did the best he could.

“I’m just going to keep working on bringing jobs here,” said Cowan, referring to a major point of contention in the campaign: who was better able to increase jobs and help the Spokane economy.

In Spokane Valley, 4th District Republican Matt Shea held off a determined challenge from fellow Republican Josh Arritola. Arritola branded Shea as extreme and said he’d lost touch with voters. Voters, however, didn’t appear to think so and gave Shea 56 percent of the vote Tuesday.

“The people of the 4th District have voted once again to make lower taxes and more freedom a priority,” Shea said. “I am humbled and honored to serve them once again.”

The only local legislative seat with no incumbent was the 4th District House race between Bob McCaslin and former Spokane Valley Mayor Diana Wilhite. McCaslin, who has never held elected office, is the son of the late Sen. Bob McCaslin. He parlayed his name recognition into a win with 55 percent of the vote over Wilhite’s 43 percent.

In the 6th District, which includes the West Plains and parts of north and south Spokane, Republicans swept the seats.

Democrat Ziggy Siegfried filed as a write-in candidate and made it past the primary election, but he was unable to come close to incumbent Republican Jeff Holy for one of the district’s House seats. Siegfried got nearly 33 percent of the vote while Holy captured 67 percent.

In the other 6th District House race, challenger Democrat Donald Dover failed to unseat incumbent Republican Kevin Parker, who won with 66 percent of the vote.

Parker said he has spent his time in the Legislature seeking to create jobs and bring a four-year medical school to Spokane, as well as focusing on issues affecting the poor.

“I’m glad that those issues are resonating,” Parker said.

Democrat Marcus Riccelli easily beat Republican challenger Tim Benn to hold his 3rd District House seat with 61 percent of the vote. Fellow 3rd District Democrat Timm Ormsby took nearly 71 percent of the vote against Libertarian Paul Delaney.

In northeast Washington’s 7th District, Rep. Joel Kretz got over 80 percent of the vote, while Rep. Shelly Short wasn’t far behind with just under 79 percent. Incumbent Sen. Brian Dansel, who was appointed to fill a vacant seat last year, beat fellow Republican Tony Booth with 70 percent of the vote.