Schoesler Leads In Pursuit Of Vacant Senate Seat

Sun., Jan. 17, 1999

By Dan Hansen danh@spokesman.com

Before the month is out, southeastern Washington may get a new state senator and a new representative.

Ninth District Republicans on Saturday selected Rep. Mark Schoesler of Ritzville as their top choice to fill a vacant seat in the Senate.

Placing second and third, respectively, were Rep. Larry Sheahan of Spokane and Jack Silzel, a wheat farmer and agriculture aide to U.S. Rep. George “Nethercutt.

The 12 commissioners from the four counties within the district will meet in Colfax on Jan. 25 to select a replacement for Sen. Eugene Prince, R-Thornton, who recently resigned to take a seat on the state Liquor Control Board.

If commissioners select one of the two legislators, they must also pick a replacement to serve in the state House of Representatives. Republicans nominated for that seat are Mike Largent, a wheat farmer from Dusty, Wash.; Don Cox, the former Colfax School District superintendent; and Dan Blankenship, an Adams County wheat farmer.

Whitman County Republican Party Chairman John Brabb said Saturday’s meeting at the county library lasted 3-1/2 hours. Each candidate gave a brief speech and answered questions.

“All the candidates were there, all the candidates spoke real well,” said Brabb.

Participants voted four times before the order of nominees for the Senate was clear. It took two attempts to decide first, second and third place for the potential House vacancy.

The 9th District includes Whitman, Asotin and Adams counties, and southern Spokane County.

Schoesler and Sheahan each have served six years in the House and are considered more politically conservative than Prince.

Prince, who served 14 years in the House and six in the Senate, has said he decided not to serve out his term when fellow Republicans removed him from the Senate Transportation Committee, where he was the ranking member.

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