Race for commission proves close

The top-two primary election Tuesday for Spokane County Commission settled only one thing: Two Republican incumbents appear to be in a tight race to keep their jobs.

After Wednesday’s second tally of votes, Republican Commissioner Todd Mielke was leading Democrat Dr. Kim Thorburn by only 657 votes.

It’s not their first encounter.

Mielke served as chairman of the Spokane Regional Health Board in 2006 when it voted to fire Thorburn as chief health officer. The board had complained about Thorburn’s perceived arrogance and criticized her attire.

In the other race, Republican incumbent Mark Richard, who also served on the board that ousted Thorburn, was leading Democrat Brian Sayrs by 823 votes.

Kate McCaslin, a Republican who served on the commission from 1996 to 2004, said the real campaigning hasn’t really started. But she was somewhat surprised at the strong showing of Thorburn and Sayrs, who serves on the Liberty Lake City Council.

“I’m sure they both wish they had done better,” said McCaslin, referring to Mielke and Richard. “I think the best anybody can say for a primary election is that … it’s just a tracking poll, a toe in the water.”

Incumbents usually win primaries by a wider margin, she said.

“The other two challengers are probably feeling good that they got as close as they did,” McCaslin said. “But at the end of the day, Mark and Todd still won. That would tell the other two candidates that they have work to do.”

The primary results suggest Richard faces a second close race. When he won his first election in 2004 over Democrat Bill Burke, the race was too close to call for several days.

Mielke, a former state legislator, is no stranger to campaigning. But he said he’s had no opportunity to tout the commission’s accomplishments of the past four years. He quickly listed cleaning up the Spokane River, bringing back Crime Check, appointing a sheriff and other measures.

But he didn’t mention his and Richard’s call to purchase 315 acres at the Spokane Raceway Park for $4.3 million in April. He said media coverage has focused more on controversy than the potential gains of motor sports, a 60-acre park and room for a law enforcement training center.

“It was a little closer than I obviously wanted,” Mielke said of the results. “Democrats, with Barack Obama, have done a good job energizing the electorate. That coupled with people disgruntled about the purchase of the raceway and the third thing is I have an opponent who has knocked on a lot of doors.”

Mielke also said he’s spoken to many people who said they support him but haven’t given money because they didn’t believe he faced much of a challenge from Thorburn. He expects that to change now.

However, McCaslin said the close races will boost fundraising for the challengers, as well.

“All four candidates can say, ‘Hey, I can win,’ ” she said. “And if you can win, donors will be more likely to give you money. In this case, all four candidates … have a shot.”