PORT ANGELES — Former Clallam County Treasurer Selinda Barkhuis has filed to run against the prosecuting attorney who sued her in 2016.
Meanwhile, primary contests emerged Friday in races for Clallam County commissioner and U.S. Representative for the 6th Congressional District.
Friday was the last day of filing week for the Nov. 6 general election.
Barkhuis, 56, filed with no party preference to challenge incumbent Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols.
Nichols, 46, filed on Monday as a Republican to run for a second four-year term.
Barkhuis said she made the decision to challenge Nichols on Thursday morning.
“I firmly believe that I can do a much better job as the county prosecutor than the incumbent, and I believe that because of my 14 years working in the courthouse, and very closely at times, with this prosecuting attorney,” Barkhuis said Saturday.
“That is why I’m running. I can do a better job than he can.”
Barkhuis, a licensed attorney who was elected as county treasurer in 2010, resigned as treasurer last December with one year left on her second term. She cited health issues resulting from work-related stress.
Much of that stress was caused by Nichols, Barkhuis said Saturday, adding that she was not concerned about health becoming an issue if elected top prosecutor.
Nichols said he was aware that Barkhuis has filed to run against him when reached by cell phone Saturday.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Clallam County during my first term in office, and I’m looking forward to the campaign ahead,” Nichols said during a fishing trip.
“I will be focusing on the issues that are of interest to the citizens, and I look forward to discussing the achievements of my first term and the goals that I’ve identified on my second term, which focus in part on prosecuting those who prey on the most vulnerable in our communities, speaking most notably to children as victims.”
Nichols said he looked forward to sharing data gleaned from his role as ex officio county coroner to advance a conversation on public health issues like suicide and drug overdoses.
Elsewhere, a three-person primary took shape Friday in the race for Clallam County commissioner for District 3.
Dale Wilson, Port O Call publisher, filed with no party preference to run against incumbent Clallam County Commissioner Bill Peach, R-Forks, and former Commissioner Mike Doherty, D-Port Angeles.
Wilson could not be reached for comment Friday or Saturday.
Another primary emerged Friday in the race for U.S. Congress.
Tyler Myles Vega of Tacoma filed to run against incumbent U.S. Rep Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and challenger Douglas Dightman, R-Shelton.
Vega, who filed with the Progressive Party, also challenged Kilmer in 2016.
The top-two vote-getters in the Aug. 7 primary will square off in the Nov. 6 general election.
In March 2016, Nichols’ office filed a complaint for declaratory relief and petition for writ of mandamus against Barkhuis.
The civil action, which also named the Peninsula Daily News, asked a judge to determine whether the county complied with its statutory obligations under the Public Records Act when it processed a November 2015 PDN request for certain emails from Barkhuis’ work and personal accounts.
The lawsuit was dismissed less than a week after it was filed at the request of the Board of County Commissioners.
Barkhuis cited several examples of how she felt that Nichols and his civil attorneys had aggrieved her during her time as treasurer.
She has remained an outspoken critic of Nichols, calling him a “powerful rat” in a Friday blog post on her website, https://barkhuis.com.
“Yes, my issues with Mark Nichols and his cabal are still very raw and personal,” Barkhuis wrote.
“But perhaps that is exactly the sort of motivation it takes to assume the insane challenge of running against such a powerful and well-funded incumbent.”
Nichols said he had not seen the blog post Saturday.
“Regardless of what she’s said, my intent will be to run a positive, issue-based campaign that focuses on the issues of concern to the citizens of Clallam County,” Nichols said.
Nichols worked as Clallam County’s chief deputy prosecuting attorney from 2006 to 2014.
Barkhuis worked as a family law and criminal defense attorney in Port Angeles for eight years before she was hired as Clallam County salmon habitat recovery coordinator in November 2003.
Barkhuis became a senior planner in the county’s Community Development department. She drafted a code compliance title and junk vehicle ordinance before defeating former Clallam County Treasurer Judy Scott in 2010.
Here are the other contested Clallam County races that were set prior to Friday’s filings:
• Incumbent Sheriff Bill Benedict is being challenged by former Sheriff’s Detective Jim McLaughlin.
• Incumbent Community Development Director Mary Ellen Winborn is being challenged by private-sector land use planner Julie Gardiner.
• Port Angeles attorneys Dave Neupert, Pam Lindquist and Suzanne Hayden filed for the District Court 1 seat being vacated by retiring Judge Rick Porter.
• Beaver attorney John Black and Superior Court Judge Erik Rohrer of Forks have filed for the District Court 2 seat being vacated by retiring Judge John Doherty.
• Incumbent Clallam County Public Utility District Commissioner Ted Simpson is being challenged by Jim Waddell of Port Angeles.
Clallam County Auditor Shoona Riggs, Assessor Pam Rushton and Treasurer Teresa Marchi each filed with no challenger.
At the state level, incumbent state Rep. Mike Chapman, D-Port Angeles, is being challenged by Port Hadlock Republican Jodi Wilke.
Incumbent state Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, is being challenged by former Clallam County and Port of Port Angeles Commissioner Jim McEntire.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
