Unsurprisingly, Lewis County Commissioner Lindsey Pollock has drawn at least one challenger vying to represent District 2 on the Board of Lewis County Commissioners.
On Monday, the first day candidates can officially submit their paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office, Winlock resident Christina Riley declared her candidacy. The move for Riley was anticipated after she announced her campaign in August.
Candidate filing week will run through 5 p.m. on May 10. The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5. A top-two primary will be held on Aug. 6 to decide which two candidates advance to the general election in each race with three or more candidates.
In races with three or more candidates, the slate will be whittled to two in the August primary.
Both Pollock and Riley are Republicans, though the Lewis County Republican Party (LCRP) formally endorsed Riley at a March 4 meeting. In July, the LCRP previously voted to cut ties with and “vehemently denounce” Pollock.
According to previous reporting by The Chronicle, the move came after a string of events spurred by a Lewis County Pride event in downtown Centralia on June 10, where a group of self-proclaimed white supremacists harassed event attendees.
According to the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC), the LCRP has contributed $5,000 to Riley’s campaign. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Riley has raised a total of $14,457.39 while Pollock has raised $13,950.56, according to the PDC.
As she nears completion of her first term on the board, Pollock said in a phone interview Wednesday morning she is running to provide “the infrastructure to allow people the opportunity to thrive.”
Pollock highlighted her work to ensure the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF) Plan 1 is fully funded by the county. According to Pollock, “most counties are deep in the red” with the program, which serves as the retirement plan for first responders. Pollock said she worked with the county auditor to ensure the program’s viability.
Pollock also highlighted her role in securing funding to upgrade the county’s 911 system.
In the call, Pollock pointed to her advocacy for reopening Interstate 5 in January 2022 following severe flooding. The closure was about 20 miles, from milepost 68 near Napavine and milepost 88 near Grand Mound.
After the road was closed, Pollock pressured the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to consider additional data from other gauges, which showed the river would recede faster than anticipated. The freeway was opened hours after her plea, with Pollock crediting state Sen. John Braun and other state officials in their work to reopen the thoroughfare.
In her announcement release, Riley said she has a background in building and construction, and that she’s a journeyman construction craft laborer. Riley runs a business focused on training and apprenticeships, according to the release, which also states she has spent 10 years on community boards such as the New Market Skills Center.
“Lewis County is one of the most beautiful places in America and I am proud to call it my home,” Riley stated in a Wednesday morning email. “Yet our amazing community is experiencing the highest levels of drug addiction, overdose deaths, poverty, homelessness and lack of affordable housing that perhaps we have ever seen.”
In the statement, Riley said Pollock has “failed to provide any meaningful solutions, initiatives or strategies to address these critical and growing problems.”
“District 2 is increasingly failing before our eyes as a direct result of failed leadership,” Riley said. “We need new competent leadership that aggressively addresses these problems and gets results. I have been an effective leader in workforce development, business, and community action for many years and have the skills to spearhead effective policies that solve the historic problems facing our community.”
On Monday, Port Commissioner Peter Lahmann filed to represent District 1 as a Republican, while warehouse worker Damian Bean filed as a Democrat. Sean Swope, the Republican incumbent for District 1, also filed for reelection. Swope was endorsed by the LCRP in March.
In the state Legislature, both incumbent representatives from the 19th District — Joel McEntire and Jim Walsh — have declared challengers. Justin Franks will challenge McEntire as a libertarian, while Mike Coverdale will face off against Walsh as a Democrat.
A third candidate — Angie Brown — has joined Jilona Speer and Dave Fenn to run for Lewis County Public Utility District commissioner. As of 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, incumbent Ed Rothlin had not filed for reelection.
As expected, Third Congressional District incumbent Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, drew two Republican competitors on the first day of filing on Monday — Joe Kent and Leslie Lewallen. Since then, a fourth candidate — independent John Saulie-Rohman, of Camas — has filed in the race.
To see up-to-date filings, visit https://tinyurl.com/2s3p7a79, where users can see which candidates are running in each county and race.
To file by the Friday, May 10, deadline, candidates in Lewis County can go to https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov/candidate-filing-information and select “online candidate filing.” Candidates can also file in person at the Lewis County Auditor’s Office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The auditor’s office is located on the second floor of the historic courthouse at 351 NW North St. in Chehalis.
To withdraw, a signed request must be received by Monday, May 13, at 4:30 p.m. Filing fees are not refundable.
