4 Pierce County Council races split between Republicans and Democrats

Initial votes show an even split among four Pierce County Council district races with only one race called on the morning after Election Day.

In Pierce County Council Districts 2 and 3, incumbent Republican candidates are leading their Democratic opponents. 

Incumbent District 2 Councilmember Paul Herrera, leads Democratic challenger Davida Haygood with 57% of collected votes as of Wednesday morning. The district includes the Cities and Towns of Puyallup, Summit View, Edgewood, and Pacific.

Fellow Republican Incumbent District 3 Councilmember Amy Cruver leads Democratic challenger John M. Linboe with 63.7% of votes. The district represents southern parts of Pierce County and includes the cities and towns of Spanaway, Ashford, Eatonville, and Graham.

Both Herrera and Cruver are making public safety a top priority of their campaigns. Herrera said it is crucial for the government to allocate sufficient resources towards public safety measures in order to create a safer environment.

Cruver wants to permit incarceration as a form of harm reduction in order to keep communities safe.

Both of the Republican candidates also support lower taxes in order to provide residents financial relief.

The District 4 race has been called with Democrat Rosie Ayala collecting nearly 70% of votes. Her opponent, fellow Democrat Rodney Robinson, posted on his campaign’s social media page that he conceded from the race.

Ayala, a member of the American Leadership Forum board, has established her platform around building affordable housing, net zero emission improvements, and data-driven action to improve public safety.

Ayala will replace former Pierce County Council Chair Ryan Mello for the District 4 position. Mello is running for the Pierce County Executive position. Ayala will represent the district that covers downtown Tacoma, Hilltop, and University Place.

Lastly, the closest race among the Pierce County Council Districts is District 6, where Democratic incumbent Councilmember Jani Hitchen, leads Republican challenger Loujanna “LJ” Rohrer by about 5% as of Wednesday.

Rohrer is trailing Hitchen despite being endorsed by fellow District 6 Candidate Danny Hankins, a Democrat.

The primary election saw Rohrer lead all District 6 candidates with 47.2% of collected votes. Hitchen collected 41.1%. 

Rohrer’s campaign prioritized efficient spending of tax dollars on county needs.

The winner of the District 6 seat represents residents of Steilacoom, Lakewood, DuPont, and Anderson and McNeil Islands.

Votes are still being counted going into Wednesday night. The Center Square will continue to follow results.