Washington Supreme Court Justices Susan Owens and Steve Gonzalez easily retained their seats in Tuesday’s primary, while Seattle appeals lawyer Sheryl Gordon McCloud and former Justice Richard Sanders were leading a crowded field seeking to replace the retiring Tom Chambers.
Owens had 63 percent of the vote and was leading in every county against two challengers in early primary returns, good enough to secure her a third term. Gonzalez was taking 57 percent over little-known Seattle lawyer Bruce Danielson, who was carrying nearly all of the state’s rural counties despite mounting no real campaign. Gonzalez is a former King County Superior Court judge who was appointed to the high court in January.
Candidates who win half the vote advance unopposed to the general election. If no candidate wins 50 percent, the top two advance.
That’s the case so far for the seat being vacated by Chambers. McCloud was leading with nearly 32 percent of the vote; Sanders had 27.5 percent; King County Superior Court Judge Bruce Hilyer 25.6 percent; and former Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg 15 percent. If the results hold, Sanders and McCloud would face off in the general election in November. (AP)
