SEQUIM — Port of Port Angeles vice Chairman Jim McEntire announced today that he would run for the Clallam County commissioner seat now held by Steve Tharinger.
McEntire, 60, a Sequim Republican and a Port of Port Angeles commissioner, is the second person to announce an intention to run for the position.
Linda Barnfather, a Sequim Democrat, announced her candidacy last month.
Tharinger, a Sequim Democrat, is also a state legislator. Tharinger will not seek a fourth term to continue representing the county’s eastside district after his term expires at the end of this year.
McEntire won the vote in Clallam County when he ran against Tharinger in November for the seat representing District 24, which covers Clallam and Jefferson counties and part of Grays Harbor County.
Tharinger won the districtwide vote in the close race.
“After the election last year, a lot of people encouraged me not to foreclose any opportunities that might present themselves,” McEntire said.
“At that time I hadn’t even thought about [running for commissioner] because I was focused on the legislative race and it took me a while to come down from that.
“But after listening to a lot of people, I started to think really seriously about it. I thought I ought not to pass it up.
“I am not in any way dissatisfied with my current office, but I think I need to think very carefully about opportunities that are present.”
Prior to his election to the Port of Port Angeles in 2007, McEntire was in the Coast Guard.
He retired with a rank of captain in 2000. He also has worked as a consultant to the Department of Transportation, Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security.
