LIKE IT IS

Four middle-aged men eyeing the open 35th District House seat brought their sales pitches to the Bremerton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Eggs and Issues the other day, stressing “not one of us is a bad guy” and promising a “clean, solid, good campaign.”

Drawing a pretty good crowd to the Cloverleaf Bar and Grill were Democrats Fred Finn, 62, Belfair, a lawyer-businessman, and Daryl Daugs, 46, Belfair, a union organizer who raises foster kids, and Republicans Randy Neatherlin, 44, Belfair car repair and used car shop owner, and Herb Baze, 58, Shelton, Realtor and former Mason County commissioner.

Each wants to take over the responsibilities, not to mention excellent salary and benefits legislators make, of retiring Democrat Rep. Bill Eickmeyer, who has served the 35th District for 10 years and made restoring Hood Canal his speciality.

It was a sure thing that his would-be successors would be asked how they would carry on his legacy.

Finn — “First we have to convince the public there’s a problem.”

Daugs — “Make sure the canal doesn’t get left out of the Puget Sound Partnership.”

Baze — “There are serious problems but it’s already been studied to death.”

Neatherlin — “We need to reseed the oysters, clams and eel grass that are needed.”

(That brought the only applause for remarks).

What about people’s property rights on Hood Canal?

Daugs — “We need to be good stewards of the environment.”

Baze — “We should not have sewer runoff in the canal, make things work for the betterment of the people.”

Neatherlin — “Deal with elected officials who can restrict what can be done.”

Finn — “If there is a taking, the property owner should be compensated.”