LD10

The Tri-City Herald's Chris Mulick talked Republican state Senate politics this week with Minority Leader Mike Hewitt (R-Walla Walla). Hewitt was particularly impressed with the campaigns of challengers Linda Haddon in the 10th LD, Randi Becker in the 2nd, and Steve Van Luven in the 40th.

In particular, he was impressed with Becker's doorbelling and Van Luven's ability to connect with influential lobbyists. Districts 2 and 10 are potential swing districts, but the 40th leans heavily Democratic. Hewitt told TCH that he hoped to have 20 seats in the Republican Senate Caucus next session.

Read the full story here.

As Legislative Districts around the state move to nominate candidates for local offices before their party conventions, many are running into a fresh problem. With the recent decision by the United States Supreme Court to uphold Initiative 872, better known as the "Top Two" Primary, the party nomination process has been turned on its ear, leading some local LDs to openly buck state party rules.

No longer is it up to party voters to decide who their candidate is in races like those for State Representative since the "Top Two" primary ballots do not allow for partisan sections and labels. Still, that ruling does not mean the Parties will just sit idly by and allow their candidates to be chosen for them.

Instead, they have been forced to come up with new nomination processes. Now, at least in the Democratic Party, is up to a small cadre of party activists at the LD level made of up Precinct Committee Officers (PCOs) who have been both elected and appointed to those pots.

But not all party officials have come on board. In the last week and a half, two Legislative Districts' Executive Boards have voted to eschew the party rules and are choosing not to officially nominate any candidates at the State Representative level.