Farm Bureau PAC endorses chalengers for WA State Supreme Court

June 1, 2006

OLYMPIA –The Washington State Farm Bureau Political Action Committee has endorsed two challengers in this year’s elections for the Washington Supreme Court.

The PAC endorsed Seattle attorney John Groen in his bid to unseat Chief Justice Gerry Alexander, and state Sen. Stephen Johnson, R-Kent, who is running against Justice Susan Owens.

Supreme Court races are nonpartisan.

In an early round of endorsements, the PAC also voted to endorse five candidates in local races, including Ken Sletten for Okanogan Public Utility District commissioner, Kevin O’Sullivan for the Thurston County Commission, Jim Powers for Thurston County Superior Court judge, Frank Rogers for Okanogan County sheriff, and Mary Lou Peterson for the Okanogan County Commission.

PAC endorsements are based on the recommendations of county Farm Bureau candidate evaluation committees. The PAC will release additional primary endorsements later this month.

Groen, who graduated magna cum laude from the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in Sacramento, is a principle in the Seattle law firm of Groen Stephens & Klinge.

PAC Chairman Bob Stuhlmiller said Groen has demonstrated the qualities to be an excellent justice of the Washington State Supreme Court. “He will be fair and open-minded,” Stuhlmiller said. “His years of experience as a litigator have shown that Mr. Groen is a strong defender of constitutional rights.”

Johnson, a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law, was elected to the state Senate in 1994.

“As a seasoned legislator and leader of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Mr. Johnson has demonstrated an understanding of many of the important issues of concern to farmers and ranchers, and we believe he will be committed to justice and judicial restraint as a jurist,” Stuhlmiller said.

Justices serve six-year terms, and three of the nine Supreme Court seats are up for election this year. The PAC has not yet taken a position on the third race, where Justice Tom Chambers is currently unopposed.

Washington Farm Bureau is a nonprofit advocacy organization representing family farmers and ranchers with more than 34,000 member families. For more information, go to www.wsfb.com.

For more information, contact: Dean Boyer,
Director of Public Relations, Washington Farm Bureau    
P.O. Box 2009
Olympia, WA 98507
(800) 331-3276; (360) 561-6663 (cell)