GOP taps "Magic Genie" to take on Reardon

A political unknown — a virtual stranger even within his own party — was named Wednesday night as the Republicans' challenger to incumbent Aaron Reardon in this year's race for Snohomish County executive.

"Hello, I'm Jack Turk," he told convention delegates convened in an Everett meeting hall to meet, then formally nominate him.

GOP leaders had scrambled for about a month to find a replacement for Snohomish County Sheriff Rick Bart, who announced his candidacy for executive at the end of last year but pulled out of the race in mid-March.

Turk said he celebrated his 50th birthday in November by quitting his management job at Microsoft, where he'd worked 15 years, to become a professional magician.

"Turk the Magic Genie," reads his colorful business card.

That fits the party's convention theme of "miracles."

Before the announcement of Turk's candidacy — a closely guarded secret until Wednesday — delegates were inspired with video clips from the film "Miracle," which documents the against-the-odds Olympic championship of the U.S. hockey team in 1980.

Bart dropped out of the executive race after encountering major fundraising problems. He had hoped to raise $150,000 by March 1; instead, he raised only $20,000, with $18,000 of it already spent.

Reardon has more than $200,000 available for his campaign to be re-elected in November.

Bart's withdrawal led Republicans to County Councilman John Koster, who early last year had considered running against Reardon.

Koster had stepped aside when Bart, who will be out as sheriff because of term limits, made his announcement.

Koster took nearly a week to consider a late run against Reardon, then stepped aside again, pointing to the shortened campaign period as the biggest obstacle.

"Already starting several steps behind, catching up would be a tall order," Koster said at the time. "It's a lot to ask of my family and my supporters."

Geri Modrell, the county GOP chairwoman, announced last week that the party had a candidate but that it wouldn't be until Wednesday night's convention that the veil of secrecy would be lifted.

She said the GOP agreed to remain quiet so that Turk could wrap up a business deal before beginning a campaign.

Reardon has said it doesn't matter which Republican runs, as he plans to campaign on his record of running the county as a business during his past three years in office.

Diane Brooks: 425-745-7802 or dbrooks@seattletimes.com. Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com