Benton County Dems chair resigns after he’s called out for a GOP endorsement
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A interim chairman of the Benton County Democrats resigned his post over the weekend after he endorsed a Republican candidate in a local race against another GOP candidate.
Richard Reuther quit the interim position in a Saturday email sent to party members, claiming he was verbally lambasted by the chair of the Washington State Democrats for the endorsement.
The chair of the state Democratic Party, Tina Podlodowski, allegedly said Reuther was engaging in a “misuse of party resources” when he sent an email to fellow party members saying they should vote for Ryan Lukson over another Republican, Eric Eisinger for county prosecutor.
The call influenced Reuther to “accelerate” plans to step back from party leadership, he said. Reuther originally planned to serve out the rest of his appointed term through December.
“I take this charge as a manifestation of factional divisions within our local party and cluelessness at the state level about the realities of organizing local volunteers without local candidates. The tone of the call was unnecessarily harsh,” Reuther shared in the email to other party members.
Lukson and Eisinger are facing off on Nov. 8 to replace Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller, who is retiring this year after serving Benton County for 36 years.
Although Miller is a Democrat, he endorsed Lukson as his preferred successor in that race.
Podlodowski did not respond to an email from the Herald about her call to Reuther.
In a post to Facebook further explaining the call, Reuther called Podlodowski’s comments “rude, belittling and dismissive.”
“This election cycle we have no Democratic candidates who got through to the general election at the county level. The question became ‘How does a Democrat vote when there are no Democrats on the ballot, especially in these times when ultra-right conservatives promise to take away the rights of the citizens?’” he wrote.
The letter underscores the prolonged struggle Democrats have had with electing candidates in the most conservative urban area in Washington state — the Tri-Cities.
Democrats in Benton County often have enough votes to get their candidates through to the general election on a crowded ticket, or sway Republican-on-Republican match-ups, but not enough to outright win countywide seats. Miller has been the exception, having not received a challenger in 28 years.
The race will be among the most closely watched this cycle, especially as Benton County plans to go back out to voters to renew its public safety sales tax — a funding source that covers dozens of positions in law enforcement, the prosecutor’s office, drug and crime task forces, and more.
“We control 30-35% of the vote. If we use that block of votes to support the moderates, we might be able to defeat the ultra-right candidates and help the GOP right their ship for the betterment of the county, state and nation,” Reuther wrote.
He could not be reached about his decision.
Lukson endorsement
In an Oct. 3 newsletter, Reuther urged fellow Democrats to follow him in voting for Lukson. The vote would be his “fourth Republican vote in nearly 30 years,” he told fellow party members.
“Democrats are in an interesting positions this election season. Even without any Democratic candidates on the ballot, we can control the outcome,” he wrote.
Citing Lukson’s work as a deputy prosecutor in the office and his drive to continue programs Miller helped establish during his tenure, Reuther wrote that he was clearly the “most qualified candidate.”
Reuther also made connections to a similar political situation playing out in Utah, where Democrats backed a conservative-independent candidate for a U.S. Senate seat over a candidate from their own party.
“They are hoping to send a clear message that the voters of Utah want to rid the GOP of those far-right candidates. Democrats in the Tri-Cities can help with that goal, too,” he wrote.
The Benton County Republicans formally endorsed Eisinger for the seat prior to the primary election.
Eisinger is a Richland trial lawyer who’s handled civil and criminal cases and was a prosecutor for the city of Kennewick.
He’s currently a partner with Walker Heye law firm and says his experience in the courtroom gives him an edge over his opponent. He does not have any experience in elected office.
“The fact of the matter is is that property crime is up, violent crime is up and Benton County residents feel less secure in their own homes and neighborhoods than ever before,” he told the Columbia Basin Badger Club during a candidate forum last month.
Lukson has worked in the Benton County prosecutor’s office since 2011. He currently works as an assistant chief deputy prosecutor.
He’s currently a councilman on the Richland City Council, and served as mayor when COVID hit the Tri-Cities in March 2020.
If elected, Lukson said he’s ready to “hit the ground running on day one” and he knows what it takes to serve as prosecutor. He says he’s running to “hold criminal offenders accountable” and “give a voice to victims.”
“We have the resources right now to keep our public safe, but what we need is a strong leader and someone that has the relationships and vision to get that done. And I believe I’m that person,” Lukson told Badger Club members.
Both are in favor of renewing Benton County’s public safety sales tax.
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Benton County Dems chair resigns after he’s called out for a GOP endorsement."
