Handy tops Kinzer; wins commission position

Garth Meyer, Whitman County Gazette | Nov 26, 20200

COLFAX — Challenger Tom Handy of Pullman was expected to become commissioner-elect Tuesday.

The Whitman County Canvassing Board was set to finalize the results of the Nov. 3 general election and name Tom Handy as the next county District No. 2 commissioner.

The Canvassing Board met Tuesday after The Gazette went to press.

At last count, Handy had a 350 vote lead over incumbent Dean Kinzer of rural Pullman; 19,130 votes were cast in the race.

Handy, 63, an independent, was in his first run for political office.

“It had us on pins and needles for quite a while,” he said. “It was so close, it was impossible to feel good which way it was going, it was hard to be sure. My lead, when I had a lead, was pretty slim.”

Kinzer, 66, a Republican, was seeking a third term on the county’s governing board.

Handy won the Aug. 5 primary, which was limited to District No. 2 voters.

In the general election, all county voters were eligible to weigh in.

All three districts include parts of Pullman as well as more rural areas of Whitman County.

Handy, the proprietor of Paradise Creek Brewery in Pullman, won precincts in Pullman, Palouse and the outskirts of Albion.

Kinzer won the town district of Albion and all of the outlying towns and areas of the county.

“I gotta go out and meet all those people that didn’t vote for me, and show them I can do the job,” Handy said. “Relieve their anxiety, if they have any. To let them know I’m not, not on their side.”

Kinzer’s biggest margin was LaCrosse, winning 92.7 percent of 109 votes.

Handy will attend virtual orientation in early December and be sworn in during January.

“My bailiwick is I’m interested in economic development,” He said. “I want to focus on that, and services like Whitcom, so they are uninterruptible.”

Economic matters may also include fallout from new state virus quaranting restrictions, hitting businesses.

“The plan for saving the state is behind the shutdown,” said Handy. “So, people are going to suffer... Federal (government) is going to have to do something,” he said. “It’s just a shame they gotta argue about it; people are so concerned about human death, but nobody seems to be as worried about business death.”

For now, Handy prepares for January.

“I’m kind of starting now,” he said. “Starting to do my homework so I can hit the ground running, as much as possible.”

Looking back, one thing stands out to him about the race.

“How polarized the vote was, between the county and Pullman,” Handy said. “I did much worse in Colfax than I thought. Running as an independent, I just didn’t want to be painted in a corner. I’m not gonna say my preference, at least right now.”