Hastings garners 61 percent of vote in House race

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Pasco, and his Democratic challenger George Fearing will advance to the general election, having drawn more votes than fringe Republican Gordon Allen Pross.

Hastings finished first with 54,712 votes, or about 61 percent according to prelminary results released Tuesday evening. Fearing drew 31,286 votes, or about 35 percent. Pross, a 53-year-old habitual candidate from Ellensburg, received only 4,227 votes as of Tuesday, leaving him the odd man out.

With his eccentric and rambling voter's guide statements, Pross was not given much chance of advancing.

Votes will continue to be counted until the primary is certified Sept. 9. Ballots were required to be postmarked by Tuesday.

Hastings, 67, has held the congressional seat since defeating Democratic incumbent Jay Inslee in the Republican Revolution of 1994. He has raised more than $500,000 for this campaign and ended July with about $342,000 cash on hand, according to the Federal Elections Commission.

Fearing, 50, is a Kennewick attorney whose only previous political experience was a failed run for the state House in 2006. He has, however, raised more than $200,000 in his bid to oust Hastings. As of July 30, he had only about $48,000 of that left.