Rep. Alexander is in running for Thurston auditor

Gary Alexander, the nine-term state lawmaker now serving the 2nd Legislative District, is one of four Republicans in the running for an appointment to fill the Thurston County auditor vacancy. Incumbent Kim Wyman won election last month as Washington secretary of state and is resigning Jan. 15 and also taking her top deputy, Ken Raske with her.

Republican aspirants making a pitch to a meeting of county Republican precinct committee officers Thursday were Alexander, Yelm mayor Ron Harding, former Thurston County Republican treasurer and chairman Dan Cathers, and real estate agent Carol Person from Olympia.

“Each one of the people who so far declared got up and gave a two-minute speech,’’ said Zeke Lyen, newly elected Thurston County Republican Party chairman. He was elected without an opponent to replace John O’Callahan, who did not run, for the next two years.

Lyen said the party’s precinct committee officers have until Jan. 6 to learn about the candidates and then vote on their top three favorites at a meeting scheduled for that date at the County Courthouse.

The three finalists’ names then go to the Democrat-controlled Thurston County Commission, whose members can pick any of the three but would have to pick from the list.

Alexander now serves as deputy auditor under Wyman as well as top Republican on the budget committee in the state House. He had put in his name in for auditor in 2001 but PCOs picked Wyman to replace Sam Reed, who also left to become secretary of state. Alexander said Wyman provided him with a letter backing his candidacy this time.

Alexander said his intention - if selected - is to serve in the Legislature at least through the 2013 election for the remainder of Wyman’s term, and possibly into 2014. He would then seek a full four-year term in that year’s election and likely step down before the vote.

A fifth candidate, Kevin Bonagofski, dropped out of the running for auditor. Bonagofski had filed to run for state Legislature in 2006 and for Lewis County auditor in 1998.

The Thursday night meeting of PCOs was actually a formal reorganization meeting for the county party, which happens every two years. Lyen said the elections were pretty cordial - and the election of a party treasurer was decided by a coin toss after the vote ended in a tie. James Wyder bested Tom Watson on the coin flip.

The new party officer slate is this, according to the party: