Van De Wege registers as candidate for November race

By Brian Gawley, Peninsula Daily News

3/29/08

SEQUIM, WA — It's officially a race for Position 1 in the 24th District since incumbent Rep. Kevin Van De Wege filed his candidate registration Thursday with the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Thomas Thomas of Joyce, the 39-year-old owner of Strait Broadband, announced in early December he would run as a Republican against Van De Wege in the 2008 election, and filed his candidate registration later that month.

Van De Wege, 32, is seeking a second term in office.

He is a firefighter-paramedic in Clallam County Fire District No. 3 and the father of two children, ages 3 and 5.

His wife Jennifer, is a Sequim High School biology teacher.

Van De Wege, along with Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, and Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, represents the 24th District which covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and one-third of Grays Harbor County.

Van De Wege was elected to his first term as state Representative in 2006, defeating six-term incumbent Jim Buck, R-Joyce, by a tally of 52.78 percent to 47.21 percent.

Thomas, who describes himself as a moderate Republican, has received an endorsement from Buck.

Both Hargrove and Kessler said Saturday they also intend to run for re-election in 2008.

The 2008 general election will be held on Nov. 4.

Candidates begin filing for office on June 2 for the Aug. 19 primary election.

But candidates must also file a C-1 candidate registration form with the Public Disclosure Commission in Olympia and the county auditor.

It can be filed before a candidate announces his or her candidacy, but must be filed within two weeks of publicly declaring candidacy.