Candidates share more endorsements ahead of general election

The Nov. 6 general elections are less than two months away, and candidates have been sharing even more endorsements they’ve received so far on the campaign trail.

Here’s a run down of recent endorsements for candidates who call Clark County home:

First term U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, was endorsed by the National Association of Realtors in her campaign for re-election. The association describes itself as the largest trade association in the United States. The congresswoman also earned the “guardian of small business” award, which is given out by the National Federation of Independent Business.

Herrera Beutler’s challenger, Democrat Jon Haugen, was endorsed recently by the Clark County Democrats, the Klickitat County Democrats, and the Washington State Federation of Democratic Women.

Meanwhile, the Clark County division of the Association of Realtors have endorsed: state Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver; Republican House candidate Julie Olson; state Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver; state Sen. Ann Rivers, R-La Center; Republican House candidate Brandon Vick; state Rep. Liz Pike, R-Camas; Republican Senate candidate Eileen Qutub; state Rep. Sharon Wylie, D-Vancouver; and state Rep. Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver.

Qutub also has been endorsed by the National Federation of Independent Business’ political action committee, dubbed the Save America’s Free Enterprise Trust.

The Association of Washington Business has endorsed Olson, Pike and Benton. The association’s vice president, Gary Chandler, said Benton’s “long record shows he knows what it takes to get other businesses to invest in Washington, and he understands that small business is the foundation of our state.”

Benton also was recently endorsed by the Washington State Troopers Association’s political action committee.

State Rep. Tim Probst, D-Vancouver — who is challenging Benton instead of seeking re-election — was named Legislator of the Year by the Washington Association for Career and Technical Education. During the 2012 legislative session, Probst tried to pass the Career Pathways Act, which would have required public schools to place a greater emphasis on student career paths that don’t necessarily require four-year degrees, instead making use of technical degrees or trade apprenticeships.

Probst also was one of four finalist named for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Statesman Award. A winner will be announced Sept. 20.

State Rep. Paul Harris, R-Vancouver, will be honored on Oct. 15 at a Seattle dinner event for his leadership in education reform pertaining to promoting charter schools in the state. The Washington Policy Center is sponsoring the dinner gala. Whether or not charter schools, which are publicly funded yet privately owned schools, should be allowed to operate in Washington state will be on the ballot in November.

Democratic House candidate Monica Stonier, who is running in the 17th District, was recently endorsed by the Washington State Nurses Association, the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council, and Aerospace Machinist Industrial District Lodge 751.

And those are just the new endorsements I’ve received from candidates and political groups. I’ve also written posts on previous endorsements made.

Have you heard of any other candidate endorsements? Let me know.

Stevie Mathieu: 360-735-4523 or stevie.mathieu@columbian.com or www.facebook.com/reportermathieu or www.twitter.com/col_politics

This blog post has been updated to add more information about endorsements for Herrera Beutler, Haugen, Benton, Olson, Pike and Qutub.