BY JEFFREY MIZE
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER
Columbian.com

Republican David Taylor is well on his way to holding on to his appointed legislative seat through 2010.

Taylor, an agricultural consultant and rancher from Moxee, in Yakima County, easily finished first in Tuesday’s primary for one of two representative seats in the 15th Legislative District.

He received 65.6 percent of the vote across the sprawling legislative district, which takes in a tiny slice of Clark County near Washougal.

About 4,800 registered voters live in the portion of Clark County that falls inside the 15th District.

Taylor likely will face Democrat John (Jobs) Gotts, who stands in second place with 18.8 percent of the vote based on Tuesday’s tallies.

Gotts had dropped out of the race, but his name still appeared on the ballot.

A third candidate, Democrat Donicio Marichalar, garnered 15.6 percent of Tuesday’s vote.

Last March, commissioners from Clark, Skamania, Klickitat and Yakima counties named Taylor to fill a vacancy after Gov. Chris Gregoire appointed Rep. Dan Newhouse, a Sunnyside Republican, to head the Washington Department of Agriculture.

The winner of the Taylor-Gotts matchup in November will serve the final year of Newhouse’s term.

State representatives earn $42,106 a year.