Walla Walla mayor joins race for 16th District House seat

Walla Walla Mayor Allen Pomraning will run for the Washington State House seat currently held by Rep. Maureen Walsh, R-College Place.

Walsh is vacating her seat representing the 16th Legislative District, Pos. 1, to run for the Senate seat held by Mike Hewitt, who is retiring.

The filing period to run for public office in a number of races is May 16 to 20.

Walsh’s open seat has attracted a number of candidates in the run up to filing week. The 16th District covers portions of Benton, Columbia, Franklin and Walla Walla counties.

Pomraning, who retired from the Army Corps. of Engineers, is running as a Republican. In a statement announcing his candidacy, he said will make jobs, economic development and school funding his top priorities. As a state representative, he said he will co-sponsor legislation to foster “levy-swapping,” under which school levies would be centralized and distributed across the state.

He supports minor modifications to the Washington Public Records Act to address privacy issues raised by the use of body cameras by law enforcement. He also said he is excited by the potential for tiny homes to address housing affordability.

Pomraning was elected to the Walla Walla City Council in 2013 and was selected to serve as mayor in January.

Announced candidates include Bill Jenkin, a Prosser businessman and school board member, Skyler Rude, Walsh’s former legislative assistant, and Mary Ruth Edwards of Prosser. All are running as Republicans.

The state primary is Aug. 2. The winner of the party primary will advance to the Nov. 8 general election.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Walla Walla mayor joins race for 16th District House seat."