Kevin Ranker

MOUNT VERNON -

One of the most crowded fields in the state started early. But now, just a week after the filing deadline, one stands alone as the party nominee with the district's sole endorsement.

Up in the Northwest corner of Washington, encompassing all of San Juan County and portions of Whatcom and Skagit Counties, the 40th Legislative District has long been a Democratic stronghold, with a full delegation of Democrats and a retiring state Senator, Harriet Spanel, who has held the seat for sixteen years.

Early on, six Democrats entered the race. San Juan County Councilman Kevin Ranker, Whatcom for Obama organizer Stephanie Kontouros, former State Trooper Paul Gonzales, Democratic activist Hue Beattie, Port of Anacortes Commissioner Steve Hopley and former Whatcom County Councilman Ken Henderson all filed with the Public Disclosure Commission, but once the field became so large, Hopley changed his affiliation to independent and then a few weeks later dropped his bid and endorsed Henderson.

40th LD Democratic Senate candidates meet/Politicker Photo

The 40th Legislative District Democrats held a series of endorsement meetings earlier this week. Members from all three counties, San Juan, Skagit and Whatcom, had their say as to who would be the officially endorsed nominees going into the top two primary in August. Here are the candidates they chose.

40th LD State Senate: Kevin Ranker
40th LD State Rep: Jeff Morris and Dave Quall
Governor: Christine Gregoire
Supreme Court Justice: Mary Fairhurst
State Treasurer: Jim McIntire
Public Lands Commissioner: Peter Goldmark
2nd Congressional District: Rick Larsen

Kevin Ranker, a candidate for state Senate in the 40th District who won the Democratic Party's nomination in May, testified before Congress last week on the subject of climate change and its impact on the Puget Sound.

He talked to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and the Coast Guard on issues like salmon health, acidity levels and sea level rise. Ranker is a member of the San Juan County Council and Chair of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council.

Kevin RankerSan Juan Island Democrat Kevin Ranker won the 40th Legislative District's Democratic nomination Sunday, prevailing over field of five Democrats, the deepest in the state for any race, vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Harriet Spanel.

Ranker won on the first round of balloting. He received 260 weighted Precinct Committee Officer votes, 54 percent of the total. Hue Beatty (D-Bellingham) came in second with 94 votes (20 percent) followed by Ken Henderson (D-Bellingham) with 78 (16 percent) and Stephanie Kountouros (D-Bellingham) with 48 (10 percent). Paul Gonzales (D- Mount Vernon) did not receive any PCO votes.

With the entry of former Republican State Rep. Steve Van Luven into the race to succeed retiring State Sen. Harriet Spanel, the field becomes more and more crowded by the day.  read more »