Goss Still Leads Thompson in LFP Mayoral Primary, but Gap is Shrinking

In the , Mary Jane Goss’ lead has narrowed a bit from the early returns, with deputy mayor Dwight Thompson cutting her initial lead in half.

The first returns showed Goss up by 5 percent, and on Wednesday afternoon, she had a four percent or 111-vote lead. As of 4 p.m. today Thompson was within 78 votes.

Goss, a managing broker in real estate, has 49.46 percent of the vote (1,507 votes) to Thompson’s 46.9 percent (1,429), a 2.5 percent lead.

Both will move on to the Nov. 8 general election. Stan Lippmann, the third candidate has 3.25 percent or 99 votes.

Votes will continue to be counted until the final tally is released on Aug. 31.

The percentage of ballots cast out of all registered voters was 33.15 percent for the primary, the highest turnout of the four city races on the ballot in King County.

“Well, I’m happy to have a good showing there,” Goss said. “I don’ t know how to explain that (referring to Thompson closing the gap). We have to wait and see how the votes come out…I think it’s a good turnout for a primary.”

“I believe I’ve gotten a pretty good showing considering I’m running against an incumbent,” she added. “I’ve got a real good team working for me. I feel real confident that I’m going to be able to beat him.”

Thompson, who is an officer in the Army Reserve and runs a vocational rehabilitation business, said he expected higher turnout from Goss’ supporters who opposed the city’s levy lid lift, Prop. 1, last August and have formed a new group Lake Forest Park Government Watch.

“If you look at the primary election, the type of voters that vote, you would expect that individuals that are her core based on Gov Watch and major supporters of her should have turned out,” he said. “Those people they expected to turn out this election did. The result has gone quite well for me.”

“They would have you believe that 78 percent of the voters would be voting against me because of Prop. 1,” he said. “The fact of the matter is that this shows in the general election Lake Forest Park citizens are interested in a comprehensive vision for the city and its future and by electing me they can elect someone who will provide that with management (skills) and keep the budget tight within constraints.”

Goss, who is a former LFP Councilwoman, believes it’s time for a change.

“Mr. Thompson has been in office for 16 years,” she said. he’s had time to work with these fiscal issues. We’re at a point here where the fiscal issues have to be dealt with. I don’t think he has the leadership to work with what folks are feeling right now in terms of fiscal conditions.

“The big difference between he and I is that his record shows he is a spender,” she said. “He doesn’t keep things in check. He ‘s got a lot of grand ideas and he’s not being realistic with the way the economy is right now and the way folks are feeling.”

Thompson noted that he trailed in his primary for Council back in 1995 by more than 10 percent and went on to win.

“When I first ran, I ran against a very formidable  adversary, Tim Davis, who was a well-known, well respected person in the city, a member of the Planning Commission for 15 or 20 years. I came out of the primary with 39 percent and he had 49 percent. This is nothing compared to that,” he said.

“I'm looking forward to the general election race and my supporters and I expect to have a very good result on Nov. 8. We are excited,” he said.

Keep following the election results from King County which are updated each afternoon about 4 p.m.