PORT TOWNSEND — Democrat John Austin of Port Ludlow celebrated on Tuesday a strong lead over Republican Ian McFall of Brinnon in the District 3 Jefferson County commissioner race.
Austin received 7,984 votes to McFall’s 4,793, or 62.35 percent to 37.43 percent.
He was celebrating at a party at the Port Ludlow Beach Club where about 150 fellow Democrats and supporters showed up to congratulate him.
“I’m still digesting it” he said.
“I want to extend my thanks to everyone who participated in my campaign.”
His first order of business will be to work on economic development in the county and talk with county workers.
“I’ve been accessible, and I’ll continue to be accessible,” Austin said.
Austin’s election would create an all Democrat Board of County Commissioners with all three members Democrats.
“We’ll get things done fast,” Austin said about an all Democrat board.
“We’ll get along well.”
But he stressed that he’ll bring diverse points of view to the board.
Austin, 66, a retired psychologist, said throughout his campaign that his strength was an ability to listen to all sides of an issue.
McFall, 66, a retired owner of software companies, spent Tuesday night at the Valley Tavern in Port Hadlock with fellow Republicans.
He had beaten Port Ludlow resident Bob Pontius in the September Republican primary election.
McFall ran on a platform of economic development in the county and was a supporter of Initiative 933.
“The Republicans got creamed,” said McFall of the election results across the board, his race included.
He said voters made every race about the Iraq war, which affected his campaign.
“It’s unfortunate because the local situation isn’t about the war in Iraq,” McFall said.
He said he’ll stay active in the Jefferson County Republican Party and perhaps run for another office in the future.
