Election Results: 3 Kennewick council candidates hold substantial leads
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Two Kennewick councilmen set to continue serving city.
- A former Washington state legislator is set to join the council.
- All three had strong leads in contested races.
Two current Kennewick City Council members were looking to win re-election and will be joined by a former legislator based on votes counted Tuesday night.
Former state Rep. Brad Klippert is set to join the council in an at-large position after receiving 4,144 votes, or 66%, to the 2,078, or 33%, for Gloria Tyler Baker.
Councilman John Trumbo will continue in the Ward 3 position on the council with 3,364 votes to the 2,759 votes counted so far for his opponent Warren Hughs. Trumbo had nearly 55% of the vote to Hughs’ 45%.
Councilman Jason McShane will keep a seat on the council after receiving 3,511 to 2,578 for his opponent, Austin Miller. McShane had almost 58% of the vote to Miller’s 42%.
Councilman Loren Anderson, a dentist, ran unopposed and received 4,596 votes so far.
McShane leading in Ward 1
McShane, an engineering and operations manager for Kennewick Irrigation District, was appointed to the council in 2023 in at at-large position.
But he ran for re-election in Ward 1, after Mayor Gretl Crawford chose not to serve another term.
He said in response to a Tri-City Herald election questionnaire, that he’d like to see investment in Kennewick’s parks and supports the city hall building remaining downtown at or near its current location.
His opponent, Miller, is an economist and college professor.
Trumbo leading in Ward 3
Trumbo, a retired news reporter, has served on the Kennewick City Council since 2014, making him the longest serving member of the current council.
He said city government faces challenges because of the demands of growth and pledged to spend taxpayer dollars wisely. Costs of growth should be shouldered as much as possible by those it serves, he said in response to a Tri-City Herald election questionnaire.
He opposes putting a new indoor pool complex at the proposed new city hall, preferring a less costly pool that still could be host to regional competitions where the current 70-year-old pool is located now.
A new city hall should remain close to the current city hall building on Sixth Avenue, or risk sucking the air out of the city’s downtown and historic area, he said.
Hughs is a small business owner.
Klippert leading in at-large position
Klippert, a former Washington state representative with more than three decades of law enforcement experience, said in the Benton County voter pamphlet that public safety is a top priority.
He will advocate for partnerships with federal agencies when appropriate to ensure community protection, he said.
He also will support parental rights and wants to address what he called a “growing homelessness crisis” in Kennewick by partnering with agencies to break down barriers to housing and deliver compassionate solutions.
Drug addicts and homeless people can be helped with the skills and discipline they need to hold jobs, he said in a response to the Herald election questionnaire.
He opposes new taxes and fees for Kennewick residents, but said that replacing Kennewick’s 70-year-old public pool should be a budget priority.
Baker is a businesswoman with a real estate license.
Klippert and Baker were running for the at-large position is now held by Councilman Jason McShane, who ran for a Ward 1 position instead.
Tuesday night 19,725 Benton County ballots were counted. An estimated 25,000 ballots are left to be counted. An updated vote total will be released Wednesday afternoon.