By The Chronicle
Eight-term incumbent Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama and 28-year-old political rookie Brennan Bailey, D-Chehalis, were leading the primary race after the first vote count was released Tuesday night.
Results released Wednesday afternoon by the Lewis County Auditor’s Office showed Orcutt leading the three-person race with 56.61 percent of the votes counted. Bailey garnered 34.73 percent.
Mark Smith, I-Toutle, received 8.67 percent.
Only the top two vote-getters in a primary race, regardless of party, earn spots on the November ballot in Washington.
“It feels good to know that we’ve got three more months of knocking on doors and getting out in the community to listen to what people’s needs are,” Bailey said. “It would have been sad if we wouldn’t have gotten to do that anymore, because you never know. So we’re happy to be at this point and looking forward to the general.”
Orcutt ran unopposed in the 2016 primary and general elections. He defeated John Morgan, R-Rochester, by about a 70-30 margin in the 2014 and 2012 general elections.
Bailey will be the first Democratic candidate to go head-to-head against Orcutt since Jonathan Fant, D-Battle Ground, received 35 percent of the vote in 2008, when the pair ran in the 12th District.
“I’m pleased with my numbers tonight,” Orcutt said. “I think I do a good job representing the 20th District, standing up for constitutional rights and working to make sure there are job and educational opportunities in our small communities, which is all we have in our district. I’m working hard to help people succeed, and I think we’re seeing that in their votes tonight.”
Orcutt and Bailey both said they plan to be active in attending candidate forums and other events as the general election ramps up.
