State offices
Bergeson keeps schools job
State schools chief Terry Bergeson won a third term Tuesday, overcoming a challenge from her predecessor and controversy over the test at the heart of Washington’s education reform efforts.
With 66 percent of precincts reporting, Bergeson had 722,962 votes to 568,702 for Judith Billings – a 56 percent to 44 percent advantage.
“I’m so relieved and so thankful to the voters in our state. It’s a wonderful affirmation of our kids and our future,” Bergeson said.
“I’m so grateful that people would take time to learn the issues, and stick with our kids … and stick with me.”
Billings noted she was outspent about 10 to 1. “We ran a truly, truly, truly grass-roots campaign,” she said.
Bergeson helped develop and refine the Washington Assessment of Student Learning before and during her two four-year terms as superintendent of public instruction.
Billings, who stepped down from the job in 1996 after an AIDS diagnosis but has since brought the illness under control, believes the test has become too important and should be only one part of a broader assessment.
“Losing the battle does not mean losing the war,” Billings said Tuesday night. Parents and teachers across the state “are not about to let this go away.”
The WASL, a test of reading, writing and math, is given in the fourth, seventh and 10th grades. Most of this year’s ninth-graders will have to pass the 10th-grade test to graduate from high school.
While disappointed that voters rejected a penny-on-the-dollar sales tax increase for education, Bergeson said she was heartened that they also rejected charter schools for the third time in 10 years.
Secretary of state
The race for secretary was among the most hotly contested state races, with Democrat Laura Ruderman and incumbent Republican Sam Reed clashing over the state’s new primary system and voter verification.
Late Tuesday, Reed had 51 percent of the vote and Ruderman had 46 percent.
Ruderman is a former Microsoft employee who became only the third Democrat to be elected to the Legislature from the 45th District in Seattle’s eastern suburbs.
Reed previously served as Thurston County auditor for 22 years and as assistant secretary of state for six years.
Recently, he championed the state’s 70-year-old blanket primary system that allowed voters to choose their favorite candidate in each office.
But that system was overturned, and Gov. Gary Locke chose one that restricts voters to one party’s candidates.
Reed administered the new system in September, but promoted a “top-two” replacement that allowed crossover voting.
Ruderman favored the Montana-style system that Locke chose and chastised Reed for backing the top-two system.
She said it was inappropriate for the secretary of state, as chief elections officer, to try to influence the outcome of the initiative vote.
Ruderman has also vowed to sell the $34,000 Buick Park Avenue that Reed bought, alleging he used the state car in his campaign travel.
Reed dismissed the criticisms as tactics to divert attention away from serious issues. He said the car was used on campaign stops only if he was already on the road on official business.
Commissioner of public lands
Doug Sutherland, the incumbent state lands commissioner, held a lead over Democratic state Rep. Mike Cooper, the favorite of environmental groups, who was trying to unseat him.
With more than half of precincts reporting, Sutherland had 52 percent, while Cooper had 45 percent.
Sutherland, a moderate Republican who won over a number of conservationists, touted a new plan that calls for harvesting more timber from state forests.
Cooper, who also had the backing of Democratic Party loyalists and labor unions, said Sutherland’s plan to increase the timber harvest was a strong reason for ousting him.
Lieutenant governor
Incumbent Brad Owen had 54 percent of the vote late Tuesday, compared to his Republican opponent, Jim Wiest, who had 39 percent.
State treasurer
Incumbent Democrat Mike Murphy was carrying 60 percent of the vote late Tuesday, while his Republican opponent, Oscar Lewis, was at 37 percent.
State auditor
Incumbent Auditor Brian Sonntag had a big lead over Republican Will Baker – about 63 percent to 33 percent.
Insurance commissioner
Mike Kreidler was seeking a second term as insurance commissioner against Republican John Adams and Libertarian Stephen Steele.
He was leading with 54 percent of the vote.
State Supreme Court
Lawyer Jim Johnson was leading in his second run for the state Supreme Court against Mary Kay Becker, an appeals court judge for the past decade.
The race for the seat being vacated by Justice Faith Ireland was the hottest Supreme Court contest.
Johnson was leading 52 percent to 48 percent with 61 percent of precincts reporting statewide.
Justice Richard Sanders handily won his re-election bid – 60 percent to 40 percent with 61 percent of precincts reporting – against Terry Sebring, an assistant attorney general and former Pierce County Superior Court judge.
Justice Barbara Madsen had won re-election outright by garnering more than 50 percent of the primary vote.