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Danny Hagen is handily winning his primary race for Skagit County Assessor, replacing his boss, Dave Thomas, who is retiring. The Shelter Bay resident, running as an independent, leads Republican Karie Storle by almost 3,000 ballots and over nine percentage points after Monday’s Aug. 8 vote count.

Hagen and Storle will face each other on the November ballot.

All county races were between two candidates or had officeholders unopposed. Incumbents were winning handily in every contest. Auditor Sandy Perkins’ portion has dropped to 57.5% of the vote, with a 4,868 count lead against challenger Eric Hull. Sheriff Don McDermott is winning with 67.9% of the vote.

The two Legislative District 10 state representative seats have the Democrats increasing their leads in both Skagit County and overall in the three county district, which includes southwestern Skagit County, northeastern Snohomish County and Island County.

In Skagit County precincts Clyde Shavers, an Oak Harbor Navy veteran, had 1,077 votes, 18.5% ahead of first term State Rep Greg Gilday (R-Camano Island) after the first week. Likewise, State Rep. Dave Paul (D-Oak Harbor) was leading challenger Karen Lesetmoe, an Oak Harbor realtor, by over 1,300 votes, with 61.2% of the vote.

The Democrats have large leads in Island County, with Shavers up by almost 10 percentage points and Paul up by 15 percentage points. That county has almost two-thirds of the district’s population. Counting there is essentially done.

Gilday has taken 57.5% and Leseetmoe 55.9% of Snohomish County votes. The county is almost 30% of the district’s population. Gilday gained four votes Friday. Monday 500 ballots remained to be counted countywide.

Shavers has increased his lead against Gilday in both Skagit County and districtwide daily. In 2020 Republican District 10 state legislative candidates won their primary races, though there were at least three candidates in each race.

Districtwide, Shavers leads Gilday 51.9%-47.9% while Paul leads Leseetmoe with 54.2% of the vote.

U.S. Senator Patty Murray is headed for reelection, with 52.6% of the vote in Skagit County and statewide in the 18 candidate race. She will be facing Republican Tiffany Smiley in November. Smiley has a mountain to climb: She is 355,839 votes and 18 percentage points behind. Her percentage is slightly higher in Skagit County compared to the entire state.

Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is well ahead in the race to win the office he was appointed to last November, with 40.6% of the vote in his 8-way race. Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson had 12.9%, with state Senator Keith Wagoner’s (R-Sedro Woolley) 12.1%, 14,479 votes behind Anderson statewide.

In Skagit County, Hobbs has 38.5% of the vote, with Wagoner (R-Sedro Woolley) second with 23.1%. and Anderson third at 11.9%.

Second Congressional Representative Rick Larsen is headed toward reelection, with 45.9% of the district vote, well ahead of challenger Dan Matthews, a Republican, with 17% of the district vote. Progressive Democrat Jason Call is fourth with 14.6%. He is 5,244 votes out of second place.

The top two vote getters advance to the November election.

In Skagit County, Larsen has 46.9% of the vote but Call dropped to fourth, with 9.6%, behind Cody Hart, a MAGA Republican who has 15.8% of votes.

Skagit County voter turnout so far is 39.2% and headed toward 43% after the 4,000 or so remaining ballots are counted. Voter turnout in Island County is 51.6% with almost all ballots counted, as in Snohomish county, where voter turnout was 37%. Not all ballots remaining to be counted will be from legislative district 10.

The Weekly News will post updates at week’s end. Skagit County will certify its vote Tuesday, Aug. 16 and the secretary of state’s office Aug. 19.