Write-in candidates beating Pacific mayor in election
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PACIFIC, Wash. -- A vigorous write-in campaign has a long-time mayor fighting for his political life.
Pacific Mayor Rich Hildreth of the tiny community of Pacific claims smear tactics are to blame. Hildreth is losing to write-in candidates by 3 percent.
Hildreth helped write the book on emergency management. He's had plenty of first-hand experience dealing with White River, which continually floods his small community of 6,000 residents. The mayor attended seminars around the country and now teaches emergency management.
But it's that travel that has some of his constituents upset.
A website set up by a local businessman surfaced as the election heated up. Anybodybutrich.com claims Hildreth is just using the mayor's post to land him a career in emergency management. Hildreth says that’s not quite the truth.
“I have made the statement (that) when I retire, I'm planning on continuing to teach emergency management. It's a passion I have,” he said.
Hildreth’s use of a city credit card was investigated and cleared by the King County prosecutor last summer, and Hildreth says all travel expenses are reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
But the events have left some voters skeptical.
“Yes, it was for his own benefit and not for the city's,” said Pacific President John O’Hara.
The dissatisfaction with Hildreth led to the launch of a write-in campaign by Cy Sun, who claims Hildreth is corrupt.
“I'm very disappointed,” Hildreth said. “The one thing it tells me - if I do pull this out, it tells me we have a lot of work to do."
But the residents of Pacific won’t know for weeks who the write-in votes are for, whether they are for one single candidate or for several candidates.
Sun could not reached for comment.
Pacific Mayor Rich Hildreth of the tiny community of Pacific claims smear tactics are to blame. Hildreth is losing to write-in candidates by 3 percent.
Hildreth helped write the book on emergency management. He's had plenty of first-hand experience dealing with White River, which continually floods his small community of 6,000 residents. The mayor attended seminars around the country and now teaches emergency management.
But it's that travel that has some of his constituents upset.
A website set up by a local businessman surfaced as the election heated up. Anybodybutrich.com claims Hildreth is just using the mayor's post to land him a career in emergency management. Hildreth says that’s not quite the truth.
“I have made the statement (that) when I retire, I'm planning on continuing to teach emergency management. It's a passion I have,” he said.
Hildreth’s use of a city credit card was investigated and cleared by the King County prosecutor last summer, and Hildreth says all travel expenses are reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
But the events have left some voters skeptical.
“Yes, it was for his own benefit and not for the city's,” said Pacific President John O’Hara.
The dissatisfaction with Hildreth led to the launch of a write-in campaign by Cy Sun, who claims Hildreth is corrupt.
“I'm very disappointed,” Hildreth said. “The one thing it tells me - if I do pull this out, it tells me we have a lot of work to do."
But the residents of Pacific won’t know for weeks who the write-in votes are for, whether they are for one single candidate or for several candidates.
Sun could not reached for comment.
