Franklin candidate outspends controversial opponent 5 to 1 trying to win back his seat

Four years after losing his Franklin County commission seat, Rick Miller is trying to make a comeback.

He served as a commissioner for 12 years before he landed in third place in the 2018 primary election. And Eltopia farmer Clint Didier was the eventual winner.

This week, Miller finds himself again trailing the frequently-controversial Didier for the District 2 position that includes northwestern Pasco and the western section of northern Franklin County.

But the primary results are just a glimpse into how the race is shaping up. The real decision will come in the Nov. 8 general election when the two Republicans face-off again.

Until then Miller has some ground to make up despite outspending Didier 5 to 1 on the campaign so far.

Miller told the Herald he is not concerned about the primary election vote tally, which had him 483 votes behind Didier.

“I’m happy with the result,” he told the Herald. “If it was a big wide spread, I would be concerned.”

He was waiting to see the primary results before committing more effort to campaigning, he said. So far he has only posted some yard signs.

He plans to go knocking on doors and visiting community groups next.

So far, Miller has spent about $5,400 compared to Didier’s $1,400, according to the Washington state Public Disclosure Commission.

The money has come out of his own pocket and mostly went to pay for 250 signs.

The former commissioner said he also expects to increase his fundraising as he moves past the primary.

Another Franklin County race last week gave voters a chance to weigh on two sheriff’s candidates who must face each other again on the ballot in November.

Franklin commission

Since losing office four years ago, Miller hasn’t been participating in county commission meetings, but says he’s tried to stay involved with the Franklin County Republican Party.

Initially, he says he was largely shut out of participating in party events, but recently won an appointment as a precinct committee officer.

“The last four years there have been controversial issues that have not been dealt with effectively,” Miller wrote in the voter’s pamphlet. “As a lifelong resident of Franklin County, I care about what happens in our county, and I want to protect what is working in the county and improve what’s not.

The Eastern Washington native is also a farmer and contends there are better ways to navigate controversial issues than the inflammatory path that Didier has often taken.

Didier, a former professional football player, has become a central figure in Republican politics in Franklin County.

Didier is the chairman of the Franklin County Republican Party and has clashed with other conservatives including fellow Franklin County Commissioner Brad Peck.

The Franklin County Republican Party endorsed Didier in the race with Miller and contributed $1,000 of his $1,900 campaign fund.

While the outspoken commissioner has drawn complaints, he’s also found several outspoken allies in the region.

Didier particularly made waves statewide during the COVID pandemic when he protested state mask rules and was part of a lawsuit challenging the governor’s emergency powers.

He also pushed back on a lawsuit filed against the county on Latino voting rights.

As a commissioner, he has worked to make the county more transparent, he said. This includes supporting a move to add quarterly commissioner meetings at night.

Didier’s campaign so far has focused on county roads, property assessments and “upholding your Constitutional rights and your choice during any pandemic or crisis.”

Franklin sheriff race

Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond has a commanding primary election lead (70%) over his opponent, the former Connell Police Chief Chris Turner (29%). Both are Republicans.

Raymond, a former Pasco police captain, is running for what he said will be his final four-year term. He defeated longtime Sheriff Richard Lathim in 2014.

He has been a vocal supporter of having a behavioral health and recovery center in the Tri-Cities, as well as creating a bi-county search and rescue program.

Turner, who said he was urged to run by several law enforcement officers and public officials, said he wants to “serve with compassion and humility.” He said he believes those traits have been lost under Raymond’s administration.

And it’s not the first time, the two have been at odds.

In 2019, Raymond stopped a working agreement with the Connell Police Department, while Turner was chief. It followed complaints from a Connell police officer about being harassed by some of Raymond’s deputies.

This story was originally published August 9, 2022 at 5:00 AM.