Burrowes leading race for Benton Franklin Superior Court

Joe Burrowes is leading the race for Position 2 on the Benton Franklin County Superior Court bench.

Burrowes had 26,829, or nearly 55 percent, to Sam Swanberg’s 22,355, or about 45 percent.

“I’m pretty confident that it’s going to be a pretty solid win,” Burrowes said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to serve. ... I’m really excited to get started.”

He thanked his supporters and volunteers for their help running a great campaign.

Swanberg said he was uncertain whether that was going to be the final result for the race, but if it was he said he would be disappointed.

“I’ve been humbled by the outpouring of support from the community for my campaign,” he said.

If the results continue to favor his opponent, Swanberg said he wanted to congratulate Burrowes and wish him luck.

Each of their qualifications for the office was the largest point of contention between the two men seeking to replace Judge Robert Swisher.

Swanberg started working as a trial attorney more than 23 years ago. His career includes trials for more than 50 serious felonies and a potential death penality case.

One of his most high-profile cases, he represented Nicolas Solorio Vasquez, a Mexican immigrant who faced the death penalty for the 1999 murder of a Washington State Patrol trooper.

Burrowes served 12 years on the bench, including seven as an elected Benton County District Court judge.

His career included work as a municipal attorney, the dean of a judicial college and service on the Washington State Bar Association’s rules committee.

This story was originally published November 8, 2016 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Burrowes leading race for Benton Franklin Superior Court."