County Councilman Sullivan faces well-funded challenge

EVERETT — Democrat Brian Sullivan has walloped Republican opponents by 2-1 margins to win two terms as a Snohomish County councilman.

Sullivan now faces a well-funded, well-connected challenger from within his own party. That could make for a spirited competition as he seeks a third term in the deep-blue council district that includes the Everett, Mukilteo and Tulalip areas.

Greg Tisdel, a civic-minded businessman, had raised more cash than any other candidate heading into filing week — no small feat for someone who’s never held elected office.

“What I’m hearing from the community is we need a change and we deserve better,” Tisdel said.

Tisdel said he’s running to stop the political infighting and to apply his business know-how to county government.

Sullivan said he’s eager to continue his long history of public service, which has spanned most of his adult life.

The candidates hold opposing views on commercial air service at Paine Field, which Sullivan is against and Tisdel supports. Tisdel criticizes the testy atmosphere among the county’s elected leaders that at times has overshadowed the budget and other substantive issues.

“It needs to get more polite up here,” Sullivan said last week. “I think we’re headed in that direction.”

The official candidate filing period runs Monday through Friday this week. More candidates could enter the race. Other political contests this year include re-election bids by County Executive John Lovick and County Councilwoman Stephanie Wright, neither of whom had drawn challenger by Friday. A host of independently elected county officials will be on the ballot as well. Mayors are up for re-election in Arlington, Darrington, Edmonds, Lake Stevens, Marysville and Sultan.

The primary election is Aug. 4.

Sullivan and Tisdel are competing for a four-year term in the council’s District 2. The job pays $111,000 per year.

If Sullivan wins, term limits would bar him from seeking the seat again in four years.

The 57-year-old said he’s run for office a dozen times — and lost only once, in the 1999 county treasurer’s race. He has served on the Mukilteo City Council, as Mukilteo’s mayor and later in the state House of Representatives. He has worked for three county executives and for former U.S. Rep. Al Swift, D-Wash.

Sullivan also has run restaurants. In April, he and two partners opened a new venture, Sully’s Pizza and Calzones in Mukilteo.

Sullivan moved to Everett earlier this year from Mukilteo.

His record was marred by a 2012 drunken driving arrest in Mukilteo. He pleaded guilty the following year and publicly apologized.

Tisdel lacks Sullivan’s elected experience but he’s hardly a newcomer to local government. Candidates from both parties long have sought his financial support and advice.

He’s served on unglamorous commissions and advisory boards to guide government decisions on health care, higher education and transportation.

Tisdel, like Sullivan, lives in Everett and grew up in Snohomish County. He’s 60.

The bulk of Tisdel’s work life has revolved around Tiz’s Doors, a family business that his father started and that he took over in 1993. It closed in 2011. Tisdel gave up a job as special adviser with Economic Alliance Snohomish County before starting his campaign.

He’s critical of how the county has handled the $162 million project to build a courthouse in downtown Everett, especially the failure to communicate with city leaders about providing enough parking.

Tisdel has slammed Sullivan for saying in November that “it’s not my job” to balance the budget. Sullivan later said he regretted making the statement and that balancing the budget is his job.

There’s no hesitation on Sullivan’s part in reeling off nuts-and-bolts government issues in need of attention. He said he’s determined to put the courthouse project on a solid foundation and to make sure the county supports Snohomish Health District programs for at-risk groups.

Sullivan’s re-election campaign reported raising $30,500 by late last week, much of it from home builders, unions and lobbyists. That’s not quite half of Tisdel’s $62,000. Prominent Snohomish County business families, including the Lanes and the Skotdals, have been big backers of Tisdel.

“We’ve supported Brian in the past and I consider Brian a friend,” said Tom Lane, president of the Dwayne Lane car dealerships. “But when you have someone of Greg’s caliber who’s willing to do that job, you get excited about it.”

Sullivan has the official endorsement from the Snohomish County Democrats and questions Tisdel’s party credentials.

“I’m being challenged by a Democrat who isn’t even being supported by Democrats, outside of a few individuals,” he said.

“Typically, it’s rare that Democrats cannibalize other Democrats.”

A campaign-finance database shows that $8,200 of the $11,350 Tisdel has donated to federal campaigns has gone toward Republican committees and candidates. The rest went to Democratic U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen.

On the state level, Tisdel’s record is bipartisan. He supported Democrat Gary Locke’s successful runs for governor in 1996 and 2000, but later made donations to the ill-fated campaigns of Republicans Dino Rossi and Rob McKenna. He gave $500 to the Washington State Republican Party in 2005.

“I’ve got a history of working with all parties to get things done,” said Tisdel, who says he’s a committed Democrat.

The top two vote-getters from August’s primary will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465; nhaglund@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @NWhaglund.

Races

Some key Snohomish County offices up for election in 2015 (incumbent in parentheses):

County executive (John Lovick, Democrat)
County Council, District 2 (Brian Sullivan, Democrat)
County Council, District 3 (Stephanie Wright, Democrat)
Assessor (open)
Auditor (Carolyn Weikel, nonpartisan)
Clerk (Sonya Kraski, nonpartisan)
Sheriff (Ty Trenary, nonpartisan)
Treasurer (Kirke Sievers, nonpartisan)
County Charter Review commissioner (vacant; the commission is to include 15 members, drawn from the top three vote-getters in each of the five county council districts)

Local mayoral races (all nonpartisan)