Scott Brummer, R-Winlock, had a hefty lead over Harry Bhagwandin, R-Onalaska, on Tuesday night when election results rolled in for the race for Lewis County Commissioner District 3.
As of 9 p.m., Brummer had earned 57.63% of the votes, or 12,947 out of a total 22,466.
“I think we’ve got a pretty commanding lead, so I’m comfortable that the folks in the county have spoken,” Brummer said on Tuesday night.
Bhagwandin had earned 9,179 votes, amounting to 40.86% of the total tallied.
The district largely encompasses South and East Lewis County. Winlock proper is in Commission District 2 while south of state Route 505 mostly falls in district 3.
Brummer, who works as a pastor in Ethel and owns a feed business on his family farm, worked as a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for about twenty years, including in Lewis County on the Cowlitz and Chehalis rivers.
He added he felt it was his connections in the community that tipped the scale in the election.
“The on-the-ground work that I have done over the last 20 years, (I’ve) met a lot of people, worked with a lot of people (and) helped them solve problems,” Brummer said.
As a pastor, he said, he aimed to keep his campaign cordial and respectful.
“The way I conduct myself is going to be seen and scrutinized — and it should be,” Brummer said.
After the death of Commissioner Gary Stamper last September, Lee Grose — a Packwood resident who previously held the seat — was chosen to serve the final year of Stamper’s term.
The top vote-getter in the election will take over the position immediately following certification, rather than waiting to be sworn in the following January with most elected officials.
Brummer told The Chronicle Grose had “graciously” offered to both he and Bhagwandin that whoever won was welcome to shadow him for the weeks leading up to election certification. Asked what issues he’d be jumping into if elected, Brummer said he would focus on the county budget, which he said will likely be passed after the new commissioner takes office.
“I will be up to speed and be studied into how each issue affects the budget,” he said, adding that he has been meeting with county officials to learn the process already.
There are an estimated 5,554 ballots left to be counted in the county, according to the Lewis County Auditor’s Office. The next update is set for Wednesday.
County certification of the Washington state general election will take place at 9 a.m. on Nov. 29.
“Harry still got a lot of votes and I want to be the commissioner for those people, too. I want to go to work for everybody in the county — not just those that were in support,” Brummer said, later adding, “My hat is off to Harry, he did a great job. I think we set a pretty high bar. We showed that a race could be run positive(ly) and we could be cordial with each other.”
View unofficial results for the current Lewis County election online at https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov.
Anyone with questions is encouraged to contact the state Elections Department at 740-1278, 740-1164 or toll free within Lewis County at 1-800-562-6130, ext. 1278 or 1164.
