The Washington state Republican Party is keeping a close eye on school board races across the state this year, including some in Lewis County.
Last week, the state GOP published a list of school board candidates who have earned the party’s support for this year’s election cycle.
Included on the list of more than 60 candidates in nearly as many school districts are four candidates in different districts within Lewis County.
According to the state party’s chairman and state Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, this will be the second school district cycle that the party is taking a more active role after starting the effort roughly two years ago.
“Our school board program was a great success when we launched it in 2023,” Walsh said. “That year, we targeted 36 races and helped the winning candidates in 32 of those contests. That result surprised many people. … Our goal is to build on proven success and help grow the conservative caucus among locally elected school directors in Washington.”
The four local candidates receiving support from the state Republicans are in races for seats in Mossyrock, Napavine, Toledo and White Pass.
In the race for the Mossyrock School District Board of Directors District 1 seat, the party is supporting Shad Hail. In the race for Napavine School District Board of Directors At-large Position 4 seat, the state GOP is supporting Rick Carns. In the race for the Toledo School District Board of Directors District 5 seat, the party is supporting Elizabeth Rohr; and in the race for the White Pass School District Board of Directors District 4 seat, the party is supporting Derrick Thompson.
In a news release from the Washington state Republican Party, Walsh said the races picked out for support by state officials are those that are important to the party not located in already conservative districts but in those that “we need to win, to fix our struggling public school system.”
The state Republican Party offers more than just emotional support to its candidates. According to the announcement, the party assists candidates by offering a slew of resources ranging from voter data and analysis to fundraising advice and helping with canvassing and putting on public events.
Walsh said the resources used in districts will match a range of needs for the different districts that the party is focused on.
“Great candidates for school boards come in all shapes — some have years of experience in public schools, others are concerned parents or grandparents new to K-12 education policy and politics,” Walsh said. “So, their needs are different. And their districts are different. WAGOP offers each a menu campaign tools and support, from which the candidate can choose the pieces that help most.”
