Tharinger will run un-opposed for third term

Friday, June 8, 2007
Peninsula News Network

Sequim, WA - Unless Republicans can find a candidate lurking on the sidelines, incumbent Clallam County Commissioner Steve Tharinger will sail through to a third term in this fall’s elections.

As filing for the 2007 campaigns closed Friday afternoon at the Clallam County courthouse, no one came forward to challenge Tharinger’s re-election bid, either as a Republican or to test his Democratic nomination.

That’s a sharp contest from all of Tharinger’s other campaigns. In 1995, he ran in a field of 5-candidates and lost to Republican Martha Ireland. In 1999 he defeated Ireland by fractions of a percent and had to hold off a determined challenge from Republican Sue Forde four years ago.

Clallam County Republicans will have another week to recruit a candidate, but outside of Sequim Mayor Walt Schubert, who decided not to enter the race Thursday, no other GOP names have been mentioned.