Shavers tops Gilday in District 10 state rep race

First time candidate Clyde Shavers has won once, topping State Rep. Greg Gilday (R-Camano Island) for his legislative district 10 position 1 seat in the Aug. 2 primary election. Shavers won convincingly in Skagit County, with 58.5% of the vote. Districtwide, it was close, 51.9-47.9% and an almost 2,000 vote margin. Tuesday the remaining 250 or so votes in the three county district were counted and each county’s totals certified. Not all outstanding ballots were in the 10th district.

This race is competitive. Gilday can win in November, as Dave Paul did in 2020 after losing his August reelection primary.

Lisa Janecki will be glad that La Conner’s Democratic majority will be able to cast ballots for her in November. The two-term Skagit County Commissioner barely won among district 3 voters, by about 225 ballots, 51.1% against Republican challenger Christian Burns. This race will be on the ballot countywide in November.

No other county, regional or statewide contest was close. Shelter Bay resident Danny Hagen maintained a comfortable margin of almost 2,800 votes, eight percentage points, against Karie Storle in his bid for Skagit County Assessor, replacing his boss, Dave Thomas, who is retiring.

State Senator Keith Wagoner placed second in Skagit County, with 23.24% of the vote for secretary of state, behind Steve Hobbs, who holds the office by appointment. Julie Anderson finished second statewide, besting Wagoner by some 12,650. votes. Hobbs won the state with 40% of the vote. For the first time in 56 years a Republican will not be secretary of state in Washington state.

Second Congressional Representative Rick Larsen is headed toward reelection, with 45.8% of the district vote, well ahead of challenger Dan Matthews, a Republican, with 17% of the district vote. Progressive Democrat Jason Call is fourth with 14.5%. He is almost 5,000 votes out of second place. The top two vote getters advance to the November election.

In Skagit County, Larsen has 46% of the vote but Call dropped to fourth, with 9.6%, behind Cody Hart, a MAGA Republican who is third with 14.4% of votes.

State Rep. Dave Paul (D-Oak Harbor) won convincingly in his reelection for legislative district 10 position 2, Paul's win is by some 4,325 votes and 8.5% districtwide, though challenger Karen Lesetmoe, an Oak Harbor realtor, won in Snohomish County, the district’s Republican stronghold, by some 1,625 votes. Paul won Skagit County by some 1,250 votes, with 61.2% of the vote.

The two Legislative District 10 state representative races had the Democrats increase their leads in both Skagit County and overall in the three county district, which includes southwestern Skagit County, northeastern Snohomish County and Island County.

In Skagit County precincts Clyde Shavers, an Oak Harbor Navy veteran, had 3,0677 votes, 20.5% ahead of first term State Rep Greg Gilday (R-Camano Island) after the first week. Likewise, State Rep. Dave Paul (D-Oak Harbor) was leading challenger Karen Lesetmoe, an Oak Harbor realtor, by over 1,300 votes, with 61% of the vote.

The Democrats had large leads in Island County, with Shavers up by almost 10 percentage points and Paul up by 15 percentage points. The county has almost two-thirds of the district’s population.

Gilday took 57.6% and Lesetmoe 56% of Snohomish County votes. The county is almost 30% of the district’s population.

All county races were between two candidates or had officeholders unopposed. Incumbents were winning handily in every contest, save for Janecki’s seat. Auditor Sandy Perkins’ lead has dropped to 56.8% of the vote, ahead by some 4,950 votes against challenger Eric Hull. Sheriff Don McDermott is winning with 67.4% of the vote.

Skagit County voter turnout will be about 44.04%, fourth highest in the region including Congressional District 2 and state legislative district 10 counties. Highest voter turnout was in Island County at 51.6%; San Juan County turned out at 49.6: Whatcom County had 48.05% turnout, while Snohomish County, voter turnout was 37.3%.

The secretary of state’s office certifies all elections Aug. 19.