ELECTION 2020: Incumbents lead in 18th District, county races

With about 75 percent of the ballots counted in Clark County, voters seem to be giving a clear thumbs up to incumbents tonight. Following are preliminary results from a few of the local, statewide and national races we’re keeping an eye on for Camas-Washougal voters: 

18th District

As of preliminary results released by the Clark County Elections Office at 8:13 p.m., Republican incumbents in the 18th District are leading by wide margins. 

In the 18th District state Senate race, incumbent Sen. Ann Rivers, who has represented the district since being appointed in 2012, leads her Democratic challenger, Rick Bell, of Camas, with 53.59 percent (40,975 votes). Bell has garnered 43.58 percent (33,317 votes), while write-in candidates have claimed nearly 3 percent with more than 2,100 votes. 

In the 18th District’s two races for state legislature, Republican incumbent Rep. Brandon Vick leads his Democratic challenger Kassandra Bessert 58-42 in the Position 1 race. Likewise, Republican Rep. Larry Hoff, the incumbent in the Position 2 race, is leading his Democratic challenger, Washougal School Board member Donna Sinclair, 54-46. 

Clark County Council, District 4

In the Clark County Council, District 4 race between incumbent Councilman Gary Medvigy, of Camas, and his challenger, Matt Little, an independent who lives in Fern Prairie, just north of Camas, Medvigy is leading with 55.55 percent of the vote, having garnered 31,657 votes to Little’s 25,197 votes. 

Clark County Charter Review Commission

There are 15 positions to fill on the first elected Clark County Charter Review Commission. The District 3 and District 4 positions will represent East Clark County residents. 

Some familiar names are leading those races tonight, including former Camas City Councilwoman Deanna Rusch, who is leading the six-way race for the Commission’s District 4, Position 1 seat with 29.2 percent of the vote; and former Republican state legislature Liz Pike, who is beating Camas City Councilman Greg Anderson with 56.83% of the vote in the District 4, Position 3 race. 

In other District 3 and 4 races: Maureen Winningham is ahead in the District 3, Position 1 race with 59.97 percent of the vote; Terri Niles leads in District 3, Position 2 with 42.95 percent of the vote; and Jeff Angelo, of Camas, is winning the District 3, Position 3 race with 73.81 percent of the vote. In the race for District 4, Position 2, John Latta is beating Washougal City Councilman Brent Boger and Washougal-area resident Glenn Kincaid with 39.73 percent of the vote versus Boger’s 33.75 percent and Kincaid’s 25.82 percent. 

3rd Congressional District

Republican incumbent Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler also looks poised to win her re-election. With about 25 percent of the votes to be counted, Herrera Beutler is leading her Democratic opponent, Washington State University-Vancouver professor Carolyn Long, 54-46 as of preliminary results released Tuesday night. 

Long released a statement Tuesday night after the preliminary results rolled in, saying she hadn’t yet conceded the race.

“Record-breaking numbers of ballots have been cast through this evening, but we’re not done counting yet, with over 79,750 ballots remaining to be counted, and thousands more coming in the mail the next few days,” Long said. “It is so exciting to see how lowering the barriers to voter registration and safe, secure, vote by mail increases voting rates in our fine state.”

She added that, while 3rd District voters wait to hear who their next congresswoman-elect will be, she wants to “thank everyone who supported this campaign and is a part of this incredible, grassroots effort.”

Governor’s race

Gov. Jay Inslee has won his third term tonight, beating his Republican challenger Loren Culp 60-40 in the statewide vote. Inslee also won over Clark County voters, garnering 54 percent of the county vote to Culp’s 46 percent in preliminary results.

To see more preliminary Clark County votes from the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election, visit results.vote.wa.gov/results/20201103/clark. As is typical in Washington state elections, many ballots that came in on Election Day, or that were mailed and postmarked by Nov. 3, have not yet been counted. State elections officials have until Nov. 24 to certify the final results of the election.