A wide spread of candidates want to win this district that goes from Prosser to Walla Walla

Voters in the sprawling 16th District have an opportunity to send a fresh face to Olympia.

Rep. Terry Nealey is retiring from the state Legislature district that covers Dayton, Walla Walla, parts of Pasco and swings south of Kennewick to include Prosser.

Republicans Dan Mildon and Skyler Rude and Democrat Rebecca Francik hope they will succeed Nealey in representing the 16th District, Position 2.

The post will pay $49,000 a year with the 2019 Legislature is seated in January.

Ballots were mailed in July and must be returned or postmarked by Tuesday. The top two will advance to the November general election.

In the order they appear on the ballot:

Mildon of Kennewick is an engineer who served in the Army and worked on several Hanford projects.

He is a former Kennewick School Board member and director of the Benton County Mosquito Control District.

Mildon said he favors limited government and that his priorities include economic and educational opportunity, law and justice and fiscal restraint.

Mildon registered as a mini-filer with the state Public Disclosure Commission and does not expect to raise or spend more than $5,000.

Francik of Pasco was a Pasco City Council member for years before losing a re-election bid last year. She taught in Pasco schools for 20 years.

She also brings an agriculture background to the race and said education and health care are among her top priorities.

She has raised about $34,000 and spent nearly $22,000, according to campaign filings. Her top contributors each donated $2,000 to the campaign: UF & CW Union Local 1439 ABC Fund, Furlan Darcie, and Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 598 PAC.

Rude of Walla Walla worked in insurance after college and then joined the staff of Maureen Walsh, now the 16th District’s state senator.

Rude is running as a policy-oriented candidate who said education is his top issue.

He has raised $40,000 and spent about $32,000, with nearly $6,000 in additional support from the independent Mainstream Republicans of Washington.

His top supporters each contributed $2,000: Washington Hospitality Association, Washington Affordable Housing Council, Washington Association of Realtors PAC and John A. Doti.

The Franklin County Voters’ Guide includes the 16th race and is at bit.ly/FranklinVotersGuide