Thurston County Republicans withdraw endorsement of commission candidate C Davis
The Thurston County Republican Party has withdrawn its endorsement and will end its financial support of C Davis, who’s running for County Commissioner in District 1 and has been embroiled in controversy since primary election results were certified last week, according to party leadership.
Multiple women have publicly accused Davis of inappropriate behavior that made them feel uncomfortable and anxious as teens. He’s also the target of a challenge alleging he doesn’t live where he’s registered to vote, a situation that is being considered by Auditor Mary Hall after a hearing Thursday.
The Olympian was not able to reach Davis Thursday evening for comment.
Davis is running as a Republican this year, though he ran as an independent for a seat in the state Legislature in 2018. In the Aug. 4 county commission primary, he came in second in the seven-candidate race, garnering just over 18 percent of the vote. Coming in first place was Democrat Carolina Mejia, with roughly 32 percent of the vote.
Davis’ website states that he wants to help “return Thurston County to the way it used to be,” and his platform, via Facebook, consists of “no new courthouse,” streamlining building permits, protecting property rights, and preserving the environment by “eliminating homeless camps.”
The party endorsed Davis in the primary race, but Party Chair and Tenino City Council member John O’Callahan told The Olympian the board came to a unanimous decision to revoke the party’s endorsement on Monday. Backing away was in the best interest of the party, he said.
“We’re not saying that he did or that he didn’t,” O’Callahan said in reference to the swirling allegations. “What we are saying is we don’t know. And because we don’t know, with everything that’s been coming out, it’s just safer for us to withdraw support.”
He clarified it’s not just one category of allegation that prompted the decision, but “all of it.”
The party is finding out about the allegations along with the rest of the county, he said. O’Callahan reasons that the allegations likely didn’t come out before because he ran as an independent.
A report filed with the Public Disclosure Commission shows a $500 donation on July 19 from “Thurston County Republican,” but O’Callahan said the party will be ending its financial support of Davis along with its endorsement.
O’Callahan called the development “heart-wrenching,” and said he knows C Davis and thinks he’s an intelligent person, but “even intelligent people do things that you shouldn’t support.”
“It really is sad for me, as the chair, that I have to be out front ... and tell people this,” O’Callahan said. “I would not wish this on the Democrats, I would not wish this on independents, I would not wish this on anybody.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
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