Republicans target rural turnout as 2016 election comes into view

The Tri-Cities will play a key role in delivering the Washington Republican Party’s 2016 message to voters: Rural votes count.

The GOP holds its state convention May 19-21 in Pasco. Party officials say it chose the Eastern Washington city to drive home the message that rural voters can counter King County’s influence on statewide elections if voters turn out in greater numbers.

“That is the message,” said Susan Hutchison, party chairwoman.

Republicans in all 39 Washington counties will hold caucuses Feb. 20 to elect delegates and hammer out the party’s political priorities. But the real action arguably occurs in May when some 1,500 GOP delegates gather at the TRAC facility off Road 68 for the state convention.

It had been expected to be a sleepy affair. But the Washington convention could take on greater national importance if the party hasn’t united behind a single presidential candidate by then. State leaders believe candidates such as Donald Trump will be compelled to come to Pasco and then campaign in Washington until the May 24 presidential primary just a few days later.

“It could be an exciting convention if there are still two to three candidates,” said Caleb Heimlich, executive director of the Washington GOP.

The party selects delegates and identifies priorities at the local caucuses and convention. The primary will determine how Washington delegates vote at the national convention, which will be held in Cleveland in July. But the caucuses will help guide what issues they talk about.

Holding the 2016 convention in Eastern Washington is more than a nod to regional fair play, said Hutchison.

It re-enforces the party’s top message in 2016: Boosting rural turnout could tip Washington into red territory.

That could entice the party’s “heavy hitters” to pay attention to Pasco and Washington, said Brad Gregory, chair of Franklin County GOP.

“If we keep pushing toward a purple state instead of a blue state — that will get those people here. I think it’s a possibility,” he said.

Washington voters are evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, with a slight advantage to Republicans, Hutchison said. The state leans Democrat in elections because Democrats vote in greater numbers.

“Voter turnout in our red counties is substantially lower than in our blue counties. That’s what we have to fix,” she said. “We’re the most flippable state in the country.”

Benton and Franklin voters turned out in force in 2012, the last presidential election. According to the Secretary of State’s office, 82.6 percent of registered voters in Benton County and 77.6 percent in Franklin County cast ballots in the general election.. The statewide average was 81.25 percent.

Local turnout fell sharply in the 2015 non-presidential general election, with 27.7 percent of Benton voters and 23.1 percent of Franklin voters casting ballots. The statewide average was 31.3 percent.

To get involved: The Benton County Republican Party will hold caucuses at about a dozen locations throughout the county on Feb. 20. Franklin County Republicans will gather at Columbia Basin College and at the Connell civic center.

The caucuses offer members an opportunity to voice their issues and run for delegate to the county and state conventions. The two counties will advertise gathering locations in coming weeks.

The Washington Democratic Party will caucus to select its delegates on March 26.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 5:34 PM with the headline "Republicans target rural turnout as 2016 election comes into view."