Sommers wins; Woldt concedes

By Andrew Garber
Seattle Times staff reporter

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State Rep. Helen Sommers has survived the most serious political challenge of her career, edging out her union-backed primary opponent, Alice Woldt.

Woldt called Sommers to concede after another batch of absentee ballots was counted last evening, lifting Sommers' lead to 1,000 votes.

"I think it was a good attempt," Woldt said last night. "I don't think anybody thought you could touch a 32-year incumbent."

Woldt said she'll now work to support the entire Democratic slate of candidates, including Sommers, in the November election. The Republican candidate in the 36th district is Floyd Loomis. John Palmer ran as a Libertarian.

Woldt held off conceding for several days, saying she still had a longshot chance. But by last night, Sommers had 14,649 votes to Woldt's 13,646.

Sommers, 72, chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, is one of the state's most powerful legislators.

With the backing of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Woldt waged one of the most expensive campaigns ever undertaken in Washington to unseat an incumbent legislator.

Woldt, 64, is a long-time community activist and former chairwoman of the King County Democratic Party. Along with union-backed groups, she spent more than $275,000 trying to defeat Sommers. Most of the money came from SEIU.

Sommers said she spent about $180,000. A political-action committee called the Committee for Progressive Leadership spent about $18,000 in support of Sommers.

In other close races:
 
• King County's library levy was maintaining a 63 percent "yes" vote, with passage requiring 60 percent.

• In the Republican primary in the 48th Legislative District, which covers parts of Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland, James Whitfield, an executive of a nonprofit health-care organization, widened his lead to 422 votes over businessman David Doud. Whitfield had 52 percent of the vote to Doud's 48 percent.

• In the GOP primary in the 45th Legislative District, Jeffrey Possinger surged ahead of opponent Roger Stark by 163 votes. Stark had been ahead by 30 votes.

• In the 11th Legislative District, Democrat Bob Hasegawa led Rosemary Quesenberry by 163 votes, 4,874 to 4,711.

• A proposed ban on cardrooms in Kenmore was still failing, 2,718 "no" votes to 2,668 in favor.

Andrew Garber: 360-943-9882 or agarber@seattletimes.com