Partch, Swannack, Tensfeld set for commissioner primary

A three-candidate primary for Whitman County Commissioner will be the lone local decision facing voters on the Aug. 7 primary ballot, and that will only be on ballots for commissioner district one.

Candidate filing finished Friday, with two challengers running against District 1 incumbent Greg Partch of Garfield for the north county seat on the county commission.

Partch officially filed for a fourth term last Thursday, May 17. Art Swannack of Lamont and Bill Tensfeld of Rosalia filed earlier in the week. All three are Republicans.

District 2 incumbent Pat O’Neill, a Democrat from Johnson, also filed his official candidacy with the county elections office last Thursday. O’Neill is being challenged by Republican Dean Kinzer of Ewartsville, who filed last Wednesday, May 16.

Under the state’s Top Two primary system, Kinzer and O’Neill will not be on the ballot until the November general election.

In statewide filings, all three 9th District state legislators filed unopposed for re-election.

Reps. Joe Schmick of Colfax and Susan Fagan of Pullman, as well as Sen. Mark Schoesler of Ritzville, were all the sole candidates filing for their respective positions. All three are Republicans.

Fifth District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers officially filed for re-election for a fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, is one of four candidates who filed. She is being challenged by Rich Cowan, Democrat, Randall Yearout, Republican, and Ian Moody who listed no part preference.

Correction: Last week’s Gazette listed several local seats as up for election this fall. That information was derived from the Secretary of State’s web site and was incorrect.