Unsoeld, Hemstad — deadlocked in initial tallies — to face off for Port seat in November

Port of Olympia candidates Anthony Hemstad and Krag Unsoeld were the top two vote-getters in early returns from Tuesday’s primary election — and they were separated by just three votes in the first tally, suggesting the vote in November’s general election might be very close.

However, by the second tally Wednesday, Unsoeld had taken the lead by a vote of 5,006 to 4,675, with an estimated 7,200 ballots still to be counted.

The third candidate, Rebecca Faust, a Republican precinct committee officer, received 883 votes, and will not advance to the November general election.

The three candidates are vying for the District 3 seat now held by Amy Evans Harding, who chose not to run for re-election. Maggie Sanders, who was elected to the commission when it expanded to five districts, also chose not to run for re-election to her District 4 seat, but Joel Hansen is running unopposed for that post. District 2 Incumbent Bob Iyall will face Jerry Toompas in November as well.

Hemstad, who serves on the port’s citizens advisory committee and previously applied to be the port’s executive director, told The Olympian endorsements from community organizations and bipartisan support for his campaign could pave the path to victory in the general election.

“I think leveraging the many endorsements that I received, like the Sierra Club, and having broad … bipartisan support, I think it puts us in excellent position for winning in November,” he said.

Hemstad emphasized that voters’ value his professional experience and focus on economic development in the port.

“I think especially in this time of great uncertainty on the economy and international trade, I suspect, or I hope, that Thurston County voters will be looking for someone who actually has experience in this area and a plan for helping expand international trade and bring family wage jobs to Thurston County.”

Unsoeld, the son of former congresswoman Jolene Unsoeld, said his campaign will engage people and issues in the Port.

“The campaign is really fun. I love talking to people about the issues facing the Port,” he said. “And I have found lots of people learn from that experience and that they are generally in favor of the ideas that I express.”

Rebecca Faust conceded to Hemstad and Unsoeld. While she said she will not endorse either candidate yet, she said in a statement to The Olympian, “I encourage voters to learn about both candidates and make an informed decision in the general election.”

This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 2:20 PM.