By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The sheriff’s race is not clear enough to call tonight, with challenger Sgt. Ken Cheeseman nearly closing the gap between him and Lewis County Sheriff Steve Mansfield that existed in the primary.
Mansfield leads tonight with 51.47 percent while challenger Cheeseman has 48.53 percent.
Ken Cheeseman
Cheeseman was clearly delighted when he spoke briefly about the initial outcome.
“I’m thinking, great,” Cheeseman said. He is working tonight and spoke on his cell phone from the side of the road in Randle.
“It sounds close. I knew it’s be a close race,” he said. “We’ll take it right down to the wire.”
The 53-year-old Randle resident has not run for office before. He decided to challenge his boss following a controversy last year when deputies questioned Mansfield’s actions in handling a case that involved the sheriff’s son’s girlfriend.
“Ya know, the people wanted change,” Cheeseman said.
Mansfield attended a party with supporters at Kit Carson restaurant tonight and spoke afterward.
Steve Mansfield
“I’m in the lead; I always keep a positive attitude about things,” Mansfield said. “That’s the way I’m gonna look at it until the numbers are all in.
“If there’s a message here from the other voters, I’ve always said it’s their office.”
The sheriff said he was perhaps “a little” surprised, less than some of his supporters.
“It comes down to asking the public, do you want what we’ve given you the past six years, ’cause it’s special” the Winlock Republican said. “If so, I’m willing to do it another four years.”
At this time the night of the primary election, Cheeseman had only 40.87 percent of the votes.
According to information available this weekend from the state Public Disclosure Commission, Mansfield spent $12, 025 on his campaign and Cheeseman spent $4,610.
With ballots counted from more than half the county’s registered voters, Mansfield has 10,763 votes and Cheeseman has 10,149.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter