Candidates start run for state Legislature

By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer

November is more than eight months away, but candidates already are stepping forward for two legislative seats that will be up for grabs in special elections this year.

Two more Republican candidates entered the race this week, with Pasco City Councilman Matt Watkins announcing he will run for 16th District state representative and Pat Hailey of Mesa saying she'll seek a seat in the 9th District.

Watkins is the third Republican to say he'll seek the seat held by Rep. Bill Grant, D-Walla Walla, until his death Jan. 4 from a rare form of lung cancer.

Grant's daughter, Laura Grant-Herriot, was appointed to the seat Friday and joined the Legislature in Olympia on Monday.

Other announced candidates are Dayton lawyer Terry Nealey and Walla Walla County Commissioner Greg Tompkins. Nealey ran against Grant in November and lost with 46 percent of the vote to 54 percent for Grant.

Watkins is a software engineer for Lockheed Martin Information Technology and has been a Pasco councilman since 2004.

"During my tenure as councilman, I have focused on regional issues, including water issues, industrial development, recreational facilities and others," Watkins said in a written statement. "I take pride in making sure I fully understand all sides of the issues to make fair, well thought out decisions that will best benefit the people that I represent."

He also is vice chairman of the Franklin County Republican Central Committee.

Watkins grew up on a farm near Eltopia and said he brings a solid understanding of the agriculture that drives the 16th District's economy.

Pat Hailey also has a farming background and now runs the farm she shared with her late husband, Rep. Steve Hailey, R-Mesa.

He died Dec. 28 from colon cancer and was replaced by Rep. Don Cox, R-Colfax. Cox held the seat for eight years before announcing his retirement in 2006. Steve Hailey was elected to succeed him and held the seat for two years.

Pat Hailey did not apply for the appointment, but said in a written statement she since has been approached by citizens and community organizations about running for the seat.

"I have been encouraged to enter this race by so many people across the district, and it had become harder and harder to turn them down," she said. "When I was in Olympia last week, many of Steve's colleagues in the House encouraged me to run and offered to endorse me. They know I can do the job."

Hailey runs daily farming and ranching activities at the farm she and her husband co-owned in Mesa.

She worked for the North Franklin School District for 10 years and was elected to the school board in 2005. She also is a Republican precinct committee officer in Franklin County.

Susan Fagan, public relations director for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Pullman, also has announced plans to run for the 9th District seat, but only if Cox chooses not to run, she said.

She filed paperwork Feb. 17 with the Public Disclosure Commission.

Fagan is immediate past chairwoman of the Whitman County Republicans and a former staffer for U.S. Sens. Jim McClure, Steve Symms and Larry Craig, all Idaho Republicans.

Fagan said if elected, she'd advocate for market-based health care reform and easing regulations on businesses that she believes hamper entrepreneurship and job creation.

"Quality of life means secure jobs and opportunity for advancement," she said. "The Legislature can do so much to help Main Street by easing the state's burdensome approach to rule-making."

w Michelle Dupler: 360-753-0862; mdupler@tricityherald.com

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009

Candidates start run for state Legislature

By Michelle Dupler, Herald staff writer