It could be a hotly contested Legislative District 47 Senate race this fall between Republican challenger Joe Fain and incumbent Claudia Kauffman, D-Kent, according to the Primary Election results.
Fain has received 9,924 votes (54.78 percent) and Kauffman has 8,157 votes (45.03 percent) through ballots counted as of Aug. 18. Both will advance to the General Election Nov. 2.
Fain is chief of staff for King County Councilman Pete von Reichbauer. Kauffman was elected to the Senate in 2006 and is seeking a second four-year term.
The 47th district covers Kent’s East Hill as well as Covington, Black Diamond and portions of Auburn, Renton and Maple Valley.
King County Election officials have predicted an overall 45 percent voter turnout. County officials will post new results at 4:30 p.m. each weekday until votes are certified on Sept. 1.
In the 47th District House Position No. 1 race, incumbent Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, has a slight lead over Republican challenger Mark Hargrove, of Covington. Simpson has 7,094 votes (39.39 percent) and Hargrove has 6,962 votes (38.66 percent). Republican Nancy Wyatt is in third with 3,911 votes (21.72 percent) and will not advance to the General Election.
Simpson, a Kent firefighter who has served 10 years in the Legislature, was charged by the Seattle City Prosecutor with gross misdemeanor assault for a May 22 domestic violence incident at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Simpson pleaded not guilty July 26 in Seattle municipal court. Simpson faces a pretrial hearing Aug. 30.
Hargrove, a Boeing flight instructor, ran against Simpson two years ago and lost.
In the 47th District Position No. 2 race, incumbent Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, has 9,843 votes (55.20 percent) and Republican challenger Rodrigo Yanez, of Kent, has 7,939 votes (44.53 percent).
Sullivan has served six years in the House. He was elected to two-year terms in 2004, 2006 and 2008. He is a former Covington mayor and Council member.
Yanez, in his first race for elected office, has lived in the Panther Lake area of Kent for 19 years. He and his son run Yanez International, a home-based business that serves as agricultural export agent for companies.
Incumbent Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, has the lead over Republican challenger Jack Michalek, of Des Moines, in the race for the Senate District 33 seat. Keiser has 8,387 votes (59.01 percent) and Michalek has 5,797 votes (40.79 percent).
Keiser has served 10 years in the Senate. She was appointed to the Senate in 2001 and won elections to four-year terms in 2002 and 2006.
Michalek has lived in District 33 for 40 years and worked for more than 40 years in the transportation industry. He currently runs an aviation consulting business out of his home.
The 33rd district covers the Kent Valley and West Hill as well as SeaTac, Des Moines, Normandy Park and part of Burien.
For more results, see www.kingcounty.gov/elections.aspx.
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