Change is coming to Franklin County, and these candidates make the best fit | Editorial

The common thread running through both Franklin County Commission races this election is whether Franklin County should have defied Gov. Jay Inslee’s orders and opened up its economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If Franklin County Commissioner Clint Didier had his way, county officials would have ignored the advice of health officials on how to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. Businesses would have been allowed to open against the governor’s shutdown orders, and churches would have been able to hold services indoors as usual.

But time and again, fellow Commissioners Brad Peck and Bob Koch opposed Didier. Their votes protected the county from a massive surge in COVID cases, and from likely legal challenges. Considering Franklin County commissioners help lead the health district board, this is important.

If Didier’s efforts had prevailed, businesses that followed the county’s word over the state could have faced huge fines.

Even though we agree some small shops may have been able to open safely earlier with strict precautions, Peck and Koch did the right thing to follow the advice of the county attorney.

By following the rules, COVID infection rates in Franklin County — which had been among the highest in the state — eventually began to drop.

But depending on the outcome of the election, the commission’s power could shift in favor of Didier’s agenda.

We know many in Franklin County who want that to happen. We understand that business owners have struggled, and we are concerned for people’s livelihoods.

But the coronavirus is a killer, and we must do all we can to contain it.

With that perspective, here are our recommendations for Franklin County Commission:

Mullen v Ruiz Peralta

After faithfully serving four terms, Koch decided not to seek re-election, so that means his spot will be filled by a newcomer — either Republican Rocky Mullen or Democrat Ana Ruiz Peralta.

Mullen is a local business owner from a longtime Franklin County farming family. He and his wife own and operate Dove Financial Services, Sahara Pizza, Big Western Entertainment and Mullen Cattle Co.

He is running on a campaign that emphasizes the importance of small business and a belief in limiting government regulations.

In 2016, Mullen ran against Koch and we, at that time, recommended Mullen. We said he seemed to be a good communicator who would seek information and form his own opinions, and we thought the commission could use some new energy.

During our recent interview with him, Mullen said he would have voted to open up Franklin County. He also said he would have talked with health officials first before making his decision, but that he has been hearing conflicting information.

We are disappointed with that response. If he is elected, we encourage him to follow the advice of health experts charged with managing the pandemic, as well as the advice of the county’s own attorney.

His opponent is community advocate Ana Ruiz Peralta. She is a graduate of Leadership Tri-Cities Class XVIII and is the current chair of Tri-Cities Community Health, so she knows something about managing government budgets. She also served on the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

Peralta, unlike Mullen, said she would not have voted to open up Franklin County.

She is sharp, she has researched the issues and she would bring diversity to the commission, which is sorely needed. According to the last census, Hispanics make up nearly 54% of the population in Franklin County.

We prefer her stance on managing the COVID-19 pandemic, and we also think it is time the Hispanic community had a stronger conduit to the commission. Peralta can fill that role.

The Tri-City Herald recommends Democrat Ana Ruiz Peralta for Franklin County Commission, Pos. 2.

Peck v Lehrman

The other commission race includes Brad Peck, the long-time Republican incumbent, Democrat Kim Lehrman and Stephen Bauman, a Republican write-in candidate.

The Franklin County Republican Party, of which Didier is the chairman, would not endorse Peck. So the group is pushing Bauman, a cattle rancher who works in construction. He is also a Republican precinct committee officer.

We typically don’t consider write-in candidates, regardless of their merits. We prefer candidates who have been voted on by the public, instead of trying to slip through a back door.

Peck told us that his experience is needed on the commission. He points out that if he is not elected, two seats would be filled by newcomers and the third would be filled by Didier, who only has two years under his belt.

That is a compelling argument. Peck has been a county commissioner since 2008, knows his way around the Capitol grounds in Olympia and has a wealth of knowledge that is too valuable to dismiss. He gets our recommendation for this reason.

But Lehrman is impressive.

For being so new to politics, she is a worthy opponent. Lehrman grew up on her family farm in Benton County and became an ag and welding teacher. From her experience in her welding classes, she said, “I’ve met many Clint Didiers.”

She would stand up for what she believes is right. What drew her in to the race was the concern she had when Peck, Koch and Didier initially voted in April to open up the county.

But Peck and Koch changed their minds the next day after receiving more information, and they rescinded the vote. After that, both continued to oppose Didier’s requests to open up the county.

If the Republicans split the vote between Peck and Bauman, Lehrman could slide in and the county would be well served.

But for our part, we agree that Peck’s experience is needed for another term.

The Tri-City Herald recommends Brad Peck for Franklin County Commission, Postion 1.

This story was originally published October 23, 2020 at 4:12 PM.