Newcomer hopes to unseat Hinkle

Patrick Wicklund says he will bring fresh start to district politics

State Rep. Bill Hinkle will have an opponent this November.

Central Washington University student Patrick Wicklund has been appointed by the state's Democratic Party to run against Hinkle, an incumbent Republican, in the race for a 13th Legislative District seat.

Wicklund, a political science major graduating this fall, said he is running to give voters a clear option if they dislike Hinkle's performance representing the district.

"I am running because I think the state legislature has failed the district," he said.

Wicklund's prior political experience includes being involved in the campaign of current Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, and being the campaign manager for Cindi Laws, member of that city's monorail board.

He has also been an intern for the Washington State Coordinated Campaign, a branch of the Washington State Democratic Party.

Calling himself "a fresh candidate who has not been corrupted" by monies from special interest groups, Wicklund said that when voters are confronted with a one-candidate race, it's not a good situation for them.

Furthermore, he said that when candidates take money from organizations, they are expected to cave to their demands, which leads to putting constituents in second place.

While saying he did not think Hinkle was corrupt, Wicklund added that the lawmaker from Cle Elum had pandered to the Republican Party, sponsored many bills but "not brought much back to the district." Wicklund declined to give examples of this.

He did offer examples of Grant County issues that concern him, as well as of his own political views.

Wicklund said that he supports a woman's right to choose, although he "does not like" the idea of abortion.

"I would always go with (a woman's right to choose), even if my religion said it was not true," he said, defining himself as a Christian and a middle-of-the-road Democrat.

He said he would protect gun rights, although he is against "rifles and weapons used only to kill people."

Lastly, he assailed the No Child Left Behind Act as an empty mandate, and the Washington Assessment of Student Learning tests as a meaningless test that has almost become a joke.

Regarding Grant County issues, the Seattle-born and raised Wicklund was just as adamant.

"The judicial corruption is awful," he said. "Something needs to be done" regarding the public defenders' scandal. He pledged to become more informed and take action to make sure it does not happen again.

Wicklund pledged that, if elected, he would remain in the district, and would be involved with his constituency. He assailed Hinkle for this, saying that he did not spend a lot of time talking to people in the district.

"He is rarely back here (Ellensburg) and even more rarely in other cities," he said. "He has lost touch."

While this is his first campaign for public office, Wicklund said that he is very excited about the prospect of canvassing through the different towns, and learning about the different issues.

Conversely, he said that he does not expect to make public office his life. If he were to lose to Hinkle, he said, he would probably move on to work for somebody's political staff.

"I really enjoy that kind of behind-the-scenes work," he said. "Working in politics is definitely my life's passion."