On the strength of a strong showing in Lewis County, incumbent James Walsh, a Republican, holds a narrow lead over Democratic challenger Erin Frasier in the District 19 Pos. 1 State Representative race after the first round of ballots were tabulated Tuesday evening.

Walsh, of Aberdeen, has 50.7 percent of the districtwide vote, 19,887-19,335.

More votes will be counted later this week.

In Grays Harbor County, Frasier’s lead is 51.32 percent, 5,024-4,766. Frasier also leads in Pacific County with 52.79 percent, 3,856-3,449, and in Cowlitz County with 50.31 percent, 8,701-8,595. Walsh leads in Lewis County with 69.14 percent of the vote, 1,891-824, and in Wahkiakum County with 56.58 percent of the vote, 1,186-910.

This race prompted the Democratic Party to contribute heavily to Frasier’s campaign as she sought to unseat the first Republican elected in the district for many years. Of the $371,000-plus in contributions Frasier collected, more than $230,000 came from her party.

Frasier, a workforce development professional who lives on a family farm in Lewis County, said she supports the shellfish growers in Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, prefers a holistic approach to tackling homelessness, and believes focusing on supporting existing small businesses in the district would have a greater and more lasting effect on economic development than focusing on recruiting large industry development. She also said she would consider a capital gains tax.

Walsh, who owns and operates a publishing firm out of Aberdeen, also supports shellfish growers and said economic development would be served best by reigning in state agencies that have made regulations so strict and the permitting process so long new businesses are reluctant to relocate to the district. He would not support a capital gains tax or any new taxes on businesses in the district.