Harriet Spanel

Don't like the way things are going for your candidate in the 40th Legislative District? Wait a week.

The race to replace Sen. Harriet Spanel (D-Bellingham) has been one of the wildest so far in terms of twists and turns, with a glut of candidates, late drop-outs, and an endorsement process gone slightly awry. And don't forget the Salmon Yoga Party.

So it continues today as the retiring Spanel announced her endorsement of Ken Henderson (D-Bellingham), whose campaign seemed on the rocks as recently as a month ago.

The two state representatives in the 40th Legislative District, Rep. Dave Quall (D-Mt. Vernon) and Rep. Jeff Morris (D-Anacortes) have now both weighed in on their choice for the open seat being vacated by long-serving state Sen. Harriet Spanel in the 40th Legislative District, and they have agreed to disagree.

The two are splitting the endorsements between Democratic frontrunners Kevin Ranker (D-San Juan Island) and Ken Henderson (D-Bellingham). This past Friday Quall announced that he is backing Henderson, and on week earlier Morris threw his weight behind Ranker.

MOUNT VERNON -

One of the most crowded fields in the state started early. But now, just a week after the filing deadline, one stands alone as the party nominee with the district's sole endorsement.

Up in the Northwest corner of Washington, encompassing all of San Juan County and portions of Whatcom and Skagit Counties, the 40th Legislative District has long been a Democratic stronghold, with a full delegation of Democrats and a retiring state Senator, Harriet Spanel, who has held the seat for sixteen years.

Early on, six Democrats entered the race. San Juan County Councilman Kevin Ranker, Whatcom for Obama organizer Stephanie Kontouros, former State Trooper Paul Gonzales, Democratic activist Hue Beattie, Port of Anacortes Commissioner Steve Hopley and former Whatcom County Councilman Ken Henderson all filed with the Public Disclosure Commission, but once the field became so large, Hopley changed his affiliation to independent and then a few weeks later dropped his bid and endorsed Henderson.

40th LD Democratic Senate candidates meet/Politicker Photo

Kevin RankerSan Juan Island Democrat Kevin Ranker won the 40th Legislative District's Democratic nomination Sunday, prevailing over field of five Democrats, the deepest in the state for any race, vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Harriet Spanel.

Ranker won on the first round of balloting. He received 260 weighted Precinct Committee Officer votes, 54 percent of the total. Hue Beatty (D-Bellingham) came in second with 94 votes (20 percent) followed by Ken Henderson (D-Bellingham) with 78 (16 percent) and Stephanie Kountouros (D-Bellingham) with 48 (10 percent). Paul Gonzales (D- Mount Vernon) did not receive any PCO votes.

Chris Mulick at the Tri City Herald reports that two of the state's legislative races have changed their complexion in recent days. In the 40th District, where seven candidates are vying for retiring Sen. Harriet Spanel's seat, now former Democrat Steve Hopley, the Commissioner of the Port of Anacortes, has changed his party affiliation from Democrat to independent leaving himself, five Democrats and one Republican to fill out the race.

Meanwhile, 5th District Democrat Jon Viebrock (D-Carnation) originally filed to challenge Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City) but has now decided to instead seek Rep. Jay Rodne's (R-North Bend) seat in position #1.

The Bellingham Herald is reporting that the race for retiring Sen. Harriet Spanel's seat in the 40th LD has grown by two already this week.

The coordinator of Whatcom for Obama, Stephanie Kountouros (D-Bellingham), and a 22-year veteran of the Washington State Patrol, Paul Gonzales (D-Mount Vernon) are the latest entrants into a contest that now has six candidates.

Paul Gonzales' press release announcing his candidacy can be seen here.

With the entry of former Republican State Rep. Steve Van Luven into the race to succeed retiring State Sen. Harriet Spanel, the field becomes more and more crowded by the day.  read more »

Long-serving Democrat Harriet Spanel (D-Bellingham) will not seek re-election to her Senate seat in the 40th district that covers parts of San Juan, Whatcom and Skagit County. The Everett Herald reports that the 22-years veteran of state politics no longer had the "gut level" feeling to stay in Olympia.

No other candidates have announed intentions to seek her vacated seat.