Political dominoes could make Lt. Governor’s race the one to watch in 2020

When the Washington state Senate last February honored U.S. Rep. Denny Heck, who had announced he wouldn’t seek re-election to Congress, Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib gave him the rostrum to speak. Heck briefly held the gavel that the lieutenant governor wields to preside over the Senate.

Heck told the senators that the resolution commemorating his long career in public service “felt like the first stop on a farewell tour.”

A month later, Habib shocked the state’s political circles by announcing that he would not seek re-election. Instead, he would enter the Jesuit order of the Catholic Church to become a priest.

Heck then followed with his own surprise: He jumped into the lieutenant governor’s race, four months after he announced “my retirement from a career in public service that began over forty years ago.”

And in the political chess game of the 2020 election, the race could have impact far beyond being an intriguing political battle: Under a possible domino effect, whomever is elected could become governor of Washington state.

Heck’s decision

A Democrat, he has represented the 10th Congressional District that includes parts of Thurston, Pierce, and Mason counties since 2013.

In an interview, Heck said it was a natural move to run for lieutenant governor because his roots are in state government. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in 1976 at the age of 24 and served five terms. Heck was Gov. Booth Gardner’s chief of staff from 1990 to 1993.

“In a way, my passion always has been state government. My DNA is that building,” he said, referring to the Legislative Building in Olympia. “It’s not the nation’s Capitol.”

If Heck wins, he would follow in the footsteps of Joel Pritchard, who served as a congressman before being elected lieutenant governor. Pritchard served six terms as the U.S. Representative in the First District representing Seattle. A Republican, he did not seek re-election in 1984, was elected as lieutenant governor and served two terms.

Although the lieutenant governor’s race has 11 candidates, Heck and state Sen. Marko Liias, a Lynnwood Democrat who is Senate Majority Floor Leader, are considered the heavyweights.

How the race is shaking out

Liias is the only senator in the race after Steve Hobbs, a Lake Stevens Democrat first elected to the Senate in 2006, withdrew on Monday. Both represent parts of Snohomish County.

Hobbs, a Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard, cited his role overseeing the guard’s support of food banks and other assignments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for his decision to withdraw.

The major question in the race is whether Heck and Liias will be the top two vote-getters in the August primary.

Heck’s campaign raised $439,035 in April and spent $9,233, according to state campaign finance records. That sum did not include any transfers from his congressional account, Heck said.

The Liias campaign raised $100,536 and spent $43,222 last month.

Habib has endorsed Liias, as have most of the Senate Democrats who control the chamber. Heck has picked up endorsements from more than 230 current and former elected officials, including former governors Christine Gregoire and Gary Locke.

Liias takes ‘next step’

In an interview, Liias said serving as lieutenant governor would be a “natural next step” for him.

Liias was appointed in 2008 to the state House of Representatives and was re-elected three times. In 2014, he was appointed to the Senate. He ran unsuccessfully in the 2016 primary for state Treasurer and was re-elected to the Senate in 2018.

In response to a question about Heck’s entry into the race, Liias said he was “surprised” because he thought Heck was retiring.

“I have heard him at forums now talk a lot about how he’s excited to step up and be governor when Jay Inslee leaves, which to me seems like putting the proverbial cart before the horse,” Liias said. “I’m running to be President of the Senate and do the work of the job. He’s got an Emmy on his shelf, so I guess he maybe wants a gubernatorial portrait as well to add to the shelf.”

Heck won a regional Emmy award as the writer and director of a TVW documentary on the state Supreme Court. He is a co-founder of the nonprofit public-affairs network.

Dominoes

A scenario that looms over the lieutenant governor’s race is one with several “what-ifs” attached.

What would happen if Inslee is re-elected in November to a third term as governor, Joe Biden wins the presidency, offers a major post in Washington, D.C., to Inslee and he accepts? Under that scenario, the lieutenant governor would become governor.

An election to complete Inslee’s term would be held at the next general election — if the vacancy in the governor’s office occurs more than 30 days before the next general election and within two years after the term begins. Heck said he would not run in that election.

Inslee has said if re-elected, he would serve the four-year term.

Heck said he’s never talked about being excited to serve as governor if Inslee were to step down for a high-level job in a Biden administration.

“I devoutly hope that does not happen. I support Jay Inslee, period. If it does happen, I’m ready to be governor. I’ve been as close to being governor without being governor when I was chief of staff. I have a firm grasp on what that job involves and I would embrace my duty. ... I’m running to be lieutenant governor because I want to be lieutenant governor,” Heck said.

This story was originally published May 24, 2020 at 5:45 AM.