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- Big challenges await winner of County Commissioner race
Big challenges await winner of County Commissioner race
- By Fernando Aceves
- Published 09/9/2008
- Commentary
- Unrated
Yakima County voters were plentiful and decisive about which two of the four candidates running for County Commissioner (District 2) they preferred the most during the Aug. 19th primary. By the end of the night, it was clear that incumbent Ron Gamache (with 19 percent of the vote) would not be getting elected to a third term. The citizen’s of Yakima County had made it clear that they want change.
Toppenish businessman Kevin Bouchey ended up with over 41 percent of the vote, while Wapato mayor Jesse Farias received close to 29 percent.
Union Gap’s Dan Olsen would come in at the end of the count with roughly ten percent.
So now it comes down to two local Mid-Valley candidates who will appear in the November ballots. With some 1500 votes separating the two during the primary, it’s safe to assume that November’s election can still go either way. A lot can happen over the next couple of months.
On one hand we have an experienced businessman in Kevin Bouchey, who although inexperienced at the political level, ran a successful campaign and promoted himself with fresh ideas that inspired the majority of voters to give him the nod.
On the other we have Jesse Farias, the current mayor of the city of Wapato. He’s a disabled Vietnam War veteran with plenty of experience in city government, and who’s hard work to improve his community also made him a popular choice among Yakima County voters.
Although Bouchey must be considered the favorite, it’s not 100 percent clear who will come out on top in November. What can be said with all certainty is that whoever wins the coming election will have many tough challenges to look forward to in their new position.
As we all know, Yakima County has many tough issues facing it. Many families are suffering and being affected by a bad economy, high gas prices, gangs and crime. Not to mention other hotly debated issues such as allowing a new dairy to be brought into the area just north of Wapato.
It’s clear that this will be a close election and that the next couple of months of campaigning will be crucial to both Bouchey and Farias.
Many questions will be asked to both men, and potential voters will expect solid answers and ideas from the candidates on how to solve the county’s issues.
With two solid candidates who understand our area’s problems, no doubt voters in this part of Yakima County will have a difficult choice to make this November.
Toppenish businessman Kevin Bouchey ended up with over 41 percent of the vote, while Wapato mayor Jesse Farias received close to 29 percent.
Union Gap’s Dan Olsen would come in at the end of the count with roughly ten percent.
So now it comes down to two local Mid-Valley candidates who will appear in the November ballots. With some 1500 votes separating the two during the primary, it’s safe to assume that November’s election can still go either way. A lot can happen over the next couple of months.
On one hand we have an experienced businessman in Kevin Bouchey, who although inexperienced at the political level, ran a successful campaign and promoted himself with fresh ideas that inspired the majority of voters to give him the nod.
On the other we have Jesse Farias, the current mayor of the city of Wapato. He’s a disabled Vietnam War veteran with plenty of experience in city government, and who’s hard work to improve his community also made him a popular choice among Yakima County voters.
Although Bouchey must be considered the favorite, it’s not 100 percent clear who will come out on top in November. What can be said with all certainty is that whoever wins the coming election will have many tough challenges to look forward to in their new position.
As we all know, Yakima County has many tough issues facing it. Many families are suffering and being affected by a bad economy, high gas prices, gangs and crime. Not to mention other hotly debated issues such as allowing a new dairy to be brought into the area just north of Wapato.
It’s clear that this will be a close election and that the next couple of months of campaigning will be crucial to both Bouchey and Farias.
Many questions will be asked to both men, and potential voters will expect solid answers and ideas from the candidates on how to solve the county’s issues.
With two solid candidates who understand our area’s problems, no doubt voters in this part of Yakima County will have a difficult choice to make this November.