Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, is in Port Angeles and Port Townsend today as part of a four-day visit to Clallam and Jefferson counties that includes three candidate forums and a stop at the Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club.
The club’s regular weekly meeting begins at 7 a.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the SunLand Golf & Country Club, 109 Hilltop Drive, in Sequim.
Kessler, along with Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, and Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, represents the 24th District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and one third of Grays Harbor County.
Kessler is running for re-election to a ninth term in her Position 2 seat. She is facing Republican challenger Robert Randall "Randy" Dutton, a retired naval officer who lives near Montesano.
Dutton is Kessler’s first opponent since Teri Schwiethale of Port Angeles unsuccessfully ran against her in 2000. Kessler first was elected in 1992, defeating Joyce Republican Jim Buck.
The House majority leader’s busy week began Tuesday with a stop at the Jefferson County Democrats’ general membership meeting at the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum.
Today Kessler is scheduled to attend a candidate forum hosted by the Clallam County Shelter Providers Network from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. at Port Angeles City Hall, 321 E. Fifth St.
It will include Kessler and Dutton as well as Clallam County Commissioner Mike Chapman, I-Port Angeles, and his Republican opponent Terry Roth of Port Angeles, as well as Van De Wege and his opponent Joyce Republican Thomas Thomas.
Then at noon today, Kessler will attend a town hall-style meeting hosted by the Jefferson County Democrats at the Pope Marine Building, on the corner of Water and Madison streets in Port Townsend.
She will tour the Port Townsend Library, 1220 Lawrence St., at 4 p.m. then head to Chimacum High School, 91 West Valley Road, for the Huntingford Humanities Lecture at 7 p.m.
On Thursday, Kessler will meet with the Jefferson County Law and Justice Council at noon in the Jefferson County Superior Court courtroom at the county courthouse, 1820 Jefferson St. in Port Townsend.
The council meets annually with the three 24th District legislators to discuss legislation from the previous session and the upcoming one. Van De Wege and Hargrove also will attend.
Then Kessler will travel to the Port Angeles Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St., for the North Peninsula Builders Association candidate forum at 7 p.m.
On Friday, Kessler will attend the Sequim Sunrise Rotary Club’s weekly meeting at 7 a.m. at the SunLand Golf & Country Club, 109 Hilltop Drive,
in Sequim.
Another candidate forum hosted by the Port Angeles Soroptomists is scheduled at noon Friday at the Bushwhacker Seafood Restaurant, 1527 E. First St. in Port Angeles.
On Saturday, Kessler will travel to Aberdeen High School for a candidate forum hosted by North Beach Community TV and League of Women Voters Grays Harbor.
In October, candidate forums are planned for Oct. 16 at Port Angeles City Hall in the afternoon and the Port Townsend Masonic Lodge in the evening.
The Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a candidate forum on Oct. 20.
