The Clark County Republican Party took its efforts to elect state Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas, as chair of the Clark County councilors a step further at its Wednesday meeting by voting to oppose the election of the two chair candidates on the ballot.
Late in its meeting Wednesday, the precinct committee officers voted to formally oppose Marc Boldt, who is running without a party preference, and Mike Dalesandro, a Democrat.
Kenny Smith, the executive director of the local arm of the Republican Party, was out of town and unable to provide an exact vote count Thursday, but said by email Thursday that the move passed by “a large margin.”
The decision is another mark in a rocky history between Boldt and the Republican Party. Boldt, a former Republican county commissioner, was censured in 2012 by the party’s executive board for actions deemed out of line with the party.
Boldt, who left partway through Wednesday’s three-hour meeting, said he wasn’t surprised by the actions of the party. He also alluded to Republican county Councilor David Madore’s role in the write-in effort. Madore has criticized Boldt’s record and late Wednesday night posted a celebratory message on his Facebook page saying he too will endorse Pike.
“There’s a little hatred in the 40 or 45 people that follow Madore’s thoughts,” Boldt said. “It goes along with the course. I know they’re against me.”
No limits
Madore’s role in the race is unclear, but he has a track record of contributing tens of thousands of dollars to campaigns he supports, including more than $240,000 to his own failed bid for county council chair this year.
A political action committee, Write In Liz Pike for County Chair, has been registered with the Public Disclosure Commission, though records so far show no donations. There are no contribution limits for PACs. Proponents of the write-in effort have hinted at significant contributions from a number of key donors.
Dalesandro, meanwhile, also said he wasn’t surprised by the Republicans’ vote against him, though he was confused by why the precinct committee officers felt it necessary to oppose his race at all.
“I don’t know why there would even be a discussion about my race,” he said. “Since I’m a Democrat and they’re a Republican organization, I wouldn’t expect them to endorse me or everything.”
Christian Berrigan, a local GOP official who publicly spearheaded the movement to endorse Pike, described the move as an additional tool the party can use to clarify its position on the race.
“It does enable us to say we’re supporting this write-in campaign and opposing those two candidates,” Berrigan said. “It certainly helps the party communicate in unambiguous terms.”
Pike, who could not be reached for comment Thursday, previously has said she would not campaign or file for the office, but would accept the seat and resign as a representative if elected.
The lawmaker would see a pay bump if she becomes Clark County chair. Legislators’ salaries will be $45,474 effective Sept. 1, plus $120 a day per diem for food and lodging, as well as other reimbursements. The county council chair, meanwhile, will receive $63,600 a year plus a $700 monthly car allowance.
The precinct committee officers also voted at the end of the meeting to formally endorse Julie Olson, a Republican running for the Clark County council seat in District 2.
