Wetle ousted in Stevens County

Longtime Stevens County Prosecutor Jerry Wetle was turned out of office by challenger Tim Rasmussen in Tuesday’s Republican primary.

Rasmussen, who lives in Suncrest and currently is a deputy prosecutor in Spokane County, had 54.5 percent of the unofficial election night total, with 1,813 votes to Wetle’s 1,506.

There was no Democratic candidate for prosecutor.

“I’m pleased and look forward to working hard for the people of Stevens County,” Rasmussen said, adding that he plans no quick changes. “I think it’s wise to see how the system works and find out if there are people that are unable to work with me, but at the present time I look forward to working with everybody.”

Stevens County had no other contested races, but there were three upsets in Pend Oreille County.

Incumbent Pend Oreille County Commissioner Mitch Brown finished last in a four-way Republican primary. Laura Merrill won the GOP primary with 405 votes, and will face Democrat Mike Deerwester in November. Deerwester got 205 votes in his unopposed primary race.

Among the other Republican commissioner candidates, Gary Driver received 227 votes, Anita Buck got 126 and Brown had 115.

Challenger Marianne Nichols drubbed incumbent Auditor Carla Heckford, 1,258 to 741 in their Republican primary. Former Auditor Ann Swenson received 664 votes in the unopposed Democratic primary for auditor.

County Clerk Fawn Opp was unseated in her Republican primary race against Tammie Ownbey. Ownbey won 59.7 percent of the vote, 1,191 to 800. There was no Democratic candidate.

Incumbent Pend Oreille County Sheriff Jerry Weeks overwhelmed his Republican challenger, Jack W. Hall, 1,366 to 599, and will face Democratic candidate Ron Froman in the general election. Froman garnered 709 votes in his unopposed primary.

In Lincoln County, where Sheriff John Coley is stepping down, Undersheriff Wade Magers will be his successor. Magers beat Deputy Don Reed, 1,033 to 936, in their Republican primary. There was no Democratic candidate.

A four-way Republican primary for the Whitman County commissioner’s seat being vacated by Les Wigen was won by Michael Largent, who will face the only Democratic candidate, Nathan Weller, in November.

Largent had 607 votes, followed by Jim White with 375, Harmon Smith with 358 and Jeannine Henley Larkin with 271. Weller received 560 votes.