BREMERTON — The Kitsap County Deputy Sheriffs Guild hasn’t determined which candidate it will endorse in this year’s race for Kitsap County prosecutor. But it has decided who it will not endorse: incumbent Russ Hauge.
The guild announced July 25 that while it was still assessing the other three candidates for prosecutor, it had decided to officially oppose Hauge and encouraged voters to consider one of the other three candidates in the August primary.
Guild President Jay Kent said the guild took the unusual position of issuing an “anti-endorsement” because of its strong opposition to Hauge.
Kent said the guild wanted more time to assess the other three candidates — Bruce Danielson, Tina Robinson, and Bob Scales — but it is “firmly set” against Hauge’s reelection.
Kent cited the following reasons for the non-endorsement:
nThe guild and its members have “no confidence” in the Prosecuting Attorney Civil Division. “We are especially unhappy with Hauge’s management of civil law matters,” Kent said.
nKent said Hauge’s attorneys “interfered” with the guild’s labor contract “and are a big part of the reason we have been working without one since 2009.”
nTwo of Hauge’s deputies recently were cited by the state Public Employment Relations Commission for withholding records from the guild during contract negotiations.
“As deputy sheriffs, we are held to a high performance and ethics standard, and should be, but Hauge needs to hold his own deputy prosecutors to a similar standard,” Kent said.
“As far as I know, Hauge hasn’t done anything to investigate these deputies.”
Association of Realtors endorses …
The Kitsap County Association of Realtors has endorsed the following candidates in the Aug. 5 primary and Nov. 4 general election.
- U.S. Congress, 6th District: Derek Kilmer (D)
- State Representative, 23rd District, position 1: Sherry Appleton (D)
- State Representative, 23rd District, position 2: Drew Hansen (D)
- Kitsap County Com-mission, District 3: Ed Wolfe (R)
- County Assessor: Paul Andrews (D) and Garry Sobeck (D)
- County Prosecutor: Bob Scales (D) and Bruce Danielson (I)
County Republicans endorse Olsen
The Kitsap County Republican Party has endorsed James M. Olsen for 23rd District state representative, position 2.
