Editor, Walla Walla Bulletin:

 I am the Republican Precinct Committeeman for Rainwater Precinct and a member of the Republican State Central Committee as the State Committeeman from Columbia County. I am philosophically committed to a majority of the positions taken by the Republican Party, and I normally vote out of principle for the Republican candidate in any race.

This year, however, I am making an exception in the race for Columbia County Commissioner, District One. Originally, I supported Ginny Glasier as the candidate most likely to make a difference in Columbia County. When she didn’t win in the primary, I sat back to observe. I like all three candidates as individual people, but that’s not good enough.

Columbia County has been in decline for several years. A significant portion of those years, eight of them, was under the mayoral leadership of Carl Rowe. No matter how one views the facts, the bottom line has been decline. In other ways, Carl has not shown me that he has the ability to be an effective county leader. His years of interacting with Dayton City Council were divisive. He has demonstrated a severe lack of judgment recently with respect to the asbestos case. In contract work he has done for me, I have felt a certain lack of attention to required detail. During my television interview with Carl, I felt that he was ill at ease, uncomfortable with being asked questions publicly. When I deviated from the prepared list of questions, Carl was lost. Despite my party position, I simply cannot vote for this individual.

Scott Hudson appeared promising when I first looked at him. After studying his “positions” more closely, however, I find that Scott is unable to take a position—any position. During the television interview, he wouldn’t allow himself to be pinned down to a point of view on an issue. While I clearly understand the politics of behaving this way, I am uneasy voting for someone whose point of view I really do not understand. I cannot determine where Scott really wants to take Columbia County. Unlike Carl, Scott handled himself well before the camera. But when I hit him with an unexpected question, I received a vague answer that avoided the issue just as most of his other answers did.

John McFarland, on the other hand, reminds me of another great Democrat in the State of Washington, Scoop Jackson. John has a clear vision, seems to understand the needs of the citizens of Columbia County, and—by a wide margin—possesses the qualification for the task of guiding Columbia County into a new era of prosperity. During the television interview, John answered my questions directly and succinctly. Even when asked an unexpected question, John answered resolutely and positively. In private discussions with John, I have found him to be knowledgeable, articulate, and clear-sighted. I believe he offers the best choice for new leadership in Columbia County.

This is not the time for party politics nor misguided loyalties. Friendship should not—must not—get in the way of effective leadership for our county. John McFarland clearly is the best candidate for the position of Columbia County Commissioner, District One, and I urge all eligible citizens to vote for John on election day.

—R.G. Williscroft

408 E. Main St, Dayton