Auburn Democrat Chris Stearns won the Aug. 2 primary for the 47th Legislative District House Position 2 seat, but the outcome of which candidate will be his opponent in November remained too close to call.

Stearns, an Auburn City Council member, received 36.01% (5,953 votes) to easily lead the race against four other candidates, according to results released Aug. 2 by King County Elections. Stearns will earn one of the two spots on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The second candidate to advance will come from among Democrat Shukri Olow at 17.96% (2,969 votes); Republican Barry Knowles at 17.89% (2,958 votes); Republican Ted Cooke at 14.13% (2,336 votes) or Republican Carmen Goers at 13.88% (2,295 votes).

Elections officials will release updated results weekdays through Aug. 16 when the results are finalized.

The winner on the Nov. 8 ballot will replace state Rep. Pat Sullivan, D-Covington, who decided not to run again after 18 years in Olympia.

The Republican Party put a lot of money behind Goers.

Goers has raised $198,540 and spent $146,840, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission. Goers has received nearly $60,000 from the Olympia-based House Republican Organizational Committee. Her largest expenditures are more than $110,000 to the Minnick Group for Comcast cable TV advertising, streaming TV ads, digital ads and numerous mailers. Minnick Group is a Mason, Washington-based company (also used by Senate candidate Bill Boyce) that describes itself as a nonpartisan campaign consulting company.

Knowles has raised $6,656 and spent $317.94. Cooke has raised $2,605 and spent $1,188.

Olow has raised $87,682 and spent $61,701. Her largest expenses are $5,000 or less. Stearns has raised $62,792 and spent $39,914, with his largest expenditure $7,537 to Publisher’s Mailing Service in Seattle for mailers. Numerous $1,000 contributors are the largest donations to Olow and Stearns.

The Seattle Times endorsed Goers.

Entenman wins primary

State Rep. Debra Enteman, D-Kent, received 56.28% (9,248 votes) in her bid for reelection to the 47th Legislative District House Position 1 seat.

Entenman will face Republican challenger Kyle Lyebyedyev on the Nov. 8 ballot. Lyebyedyev received 29.71% (4,883 votes) to earn the second spot and eliminate Republican Jessie Ramsey, who took third with 13.80% (2,267 votes).

Entenman defeated Lyebyedyev in 2020 and incumbent Mark Hargrove, R-Covington, in 2018.

Lyebyedyev has raised $62,661 and spent $33,120, with $20,000 from the House Republican Organizational Committee as the largest donation. His largest expenditure is $12,750 to Mercer Island-based Sermo Digitial for TV ads on several stations.

Entenman has raised $40,356 and spent $28,566, with $1,000 donations as the largest. Her largest expenditure is $5,555 to campaign manager Sai Samineni, of Kent. Ramsey has raised $765.

The Seattle Times endorsed Entenman.

Shukri Olow. COURTESY PHOTO, Shukri Olow

Carmen Goers. COURTESY PHOTO, Carmen Goers

Debra Entenman.

Kyle Lyebyedyev