Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891
Commissioners from five counties last week filled two vacancies in District 19's representation in the Washington State Legislature.
Commissioners from Wahkiakum, Pacific, Cowlitz, Lewis and Grays Harbor counties met in Kelso to appoint someone to replace Senator Brian Hatfield, who resigned at the beginning of September.
Candidates recommended by the Democrat Party were Rep. Dean Takko and Longview City Council Member Steve Moon, and the commissioners voted 13-2 to appoint Takko to the vacant seat.
The move was anticipated, and party members had also recommended three candidates to replace Takko. They were J.D. Rosetti of Longview and Tiffany Turner and Jim Sayce of the Long Beach Peninsula. Turner was the top choice of the party's precinct committee members.
However, 12 county commissioners voted for Rosetti. Turner received two votes, and Sayce had one.
Rosetti is a member of the Longview School District Board of directors and the board of directors of the Cowlitz/Wahkiakum United Way. He also has been a legislative aide for Dist. 19 Rep. Brian Blake.
Wahkiakum County Commissioners Blair Brady, Mike Backman and Dan Cothren said Tuesday they are happy with the outcome.
"Dean has been a good friend of this county for many, many years," Brady said. "We went for J.D. primarily because he was the best choice for understanding the needs of the county at this time.
"The other two candidates didn't have any county government or legislative experience."
The appointed terms last one year; the positions will be on the 2016 election ballots.
Already, two people have said they will be candidates for Rosetti's position, the Dist. 19-A seat.
One is Turner; the other is Jim Walsh of Aberdeen. Walsh said he would run as a Republican. He is a member of the Aberdeen School District Board of Directors and owns a technical publishing company.
Turner and her husband have owned and operated a motel; she is active in a variety of civic organizations.
Reader Comments(0)