In a district that was darkened by scandal in 2007, things are looking up this fall with a race full of rising stars. Southwest Washington's 18th Legislative District, which runs from the Vancouver suburbs of Ridgefield, Battle Ground and Camas north to the Lewis County line, features Rep. Jaime Herrera (R-Battle Ground) looking to win her first election against LaCenter Democrat VaNessa Duplessie.

Both candidates are relatively young with impressive backgrounds and bright futures in their respective parties according to local insiders.

Herrera grew up in the 18th LD, where she played on Prairie High School's powerhouse girls' basketball team before going on to work for U.S Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane). It was that job that catapulted her into the state representative seat she holds today after former Rep. Richard Curtis stepped down in shame following a sex scandal last October.

DuPlessie, on the other hand, is a more recent convert to the 18th LD, where she is active in her children's schools and runs a technology business. Duplessie, as her backers are quick to note, was also recently awarded with a prestigious Marshall Award, given annually to "recognize the leadership potential of the next ‘greatest generation'".

A well-deserved gift.

Shannon Barnett is a former Cowlitz County Republican Party chair who held the position when the 18th Legislative District chose Rep. Jaime Herrera to succeed Rep. Curtis in late 2007, and made very clear her popularity with the board of commissioners who made the appointment.

"The commissioners," he said, "made the comment that they had never been presented with such a strong panel of candidates. We spent more time and energy researching candidates for this appointment than any time before."

With that, Hererra won the precinct committee officer vote with a super majority despite twelve candidates being considered for the post.

"That speaks volumes about how impressed we all were," Barnett gushed.

"I am really excited about Jamie being on the ticket," said 18th Legislative District chair Jon Russell, having the unique perspective of someone who had fought hard to be named to the seat when it was up for grabs in 2007 after the Curtis scandal.

"It is good to have her," he continued. "I know when we were all trying out for the position if I didn't get it I wanted Jamie to get it. I felt she was the most compatible conservative for the district."

Russell also appreciated Herrera being a Hispanic female, two demographics that are underrepresented in state government. But more than that, he felt that her background, despite having been appointed to the seat rather than elected, was very strong for a state representative.

"She brings quite a breadth of experience, both having worked in the state and the federal government. They cooperate more than a lot of people understand."

But it's not just Russell that is excited. He said the voters, a surprising amount of who are still unaware that Curtis is no longer their representative, have been impressed with what they have seen.

"I have been taking her around down here in Washougal," Russell said of meetings with donors, activists and community leaders. "The response has been really good. I think that she has connected well. I've heard nothing but praises, even from people who are not political type people."

Barnett shared that view.

"I have had some personal experience in the district," Barnett said of the men he regularly works out with in his martial arts group, a lot of who are Democrats that planned on supporting Herrera. "They have been impressed with how she responded to their letters. They were very impressed how responsive she was."

Leaning to the right.

There is also the matter of the district's demographics. Right now the entire delegation is Republican, with state Sen. Joe Zarelli (R-Ridgefield) and state Rep. Ed Orcutt (R-Kalama) joining Herrera in Olympia.

"If you go down through the 18th District," Barnett said, "it is a very traditional conservative district. If you go back and look at how candidates have been elected versus how initiatives have fared, the data paints a very strong picture and that is the heart and soul of the will of the voters. Jaime grew up here, she spent her whole life here, she knows what the voters want here."

Still, the Democrats think they have a chance to unseat Herrera, despite her bright beginnings in politics and the district's rightward tilt.

"VaNessa has got enough of an independent streak that appeals to the people out there," said Clark County Democratic party chair Dena Horton. "VaNessa's ability to be that person to attract people from both sides is really helpful to her in that race."

Cowlitz County Democratic chair Butch Eldridge agreed. "I didn't know Vanessa before the political season," he admitted, "but what I've known of her is she seems to be bright and articulate. She's a great candidate and she'll be a great legislator if elected."

A golden opportunity.

Eldridge was also bullish on this year's political atmosphere, and feels that Duplessie has an added advantage because Rep. Herrera has yet to be elected to office.

"I think this is the Democrats' year. If they do generic polls on who you are going to vote for, Democratss come on top. If there is a year we get a D out of the 18th, this will be the year to do it. If there is a chance, this will be the time to do it."

Herreras backers dispute that claim. "The district is a Republican district," Russell said. "Even in a bad year like 2006 the lowest vote getter got 52%. I think she represents that ideology."

Yet Democrats remain optimistic.

"We've had a lot of really good candidates that we have ran in the 18th over the years, but people are excited about her," Eldridge said. "She is the best candidate we have in the 18th this year, I think."

That is a sentiment shared by Democratic National Committee member Ed Cote, a Clark County resident. He said Duplessie was arguably the best Democratic candidate to ever come out of the 18th LD.

Clark County's Horton agreed. "We are very excited about Vanessa's race. A phenomenal person as well as a phenomenal candidate," she offered, "a mother, a business woman, someone who truly represents that area."

Battle grounds.

Specifically, Horton meant that Duplessie has lived in the area since the mid 2001, and more importantly owns a home and business in Clark County. She said Duplessie was "a person who obviously cares a lot about that community...and has the opportunity to see the people on a daily basis. She's not one the parties back in D.C. decided should be in office. She is genuine, and cares very much about the community she is going to be representing."

Roots, in fact, are just one aspect that has entered into the race. Republicans are claiming that Duplessie and local Democrats have cynically claimed that Rep. Herrera lacks ties to the region because she spent time in Washington D.C. after college while Duplessie has been raising a family in the area for ten years, but they counter that Herrera actually comes from the 18th, and that the personal attacks take away from the issues.

Another issue has been money. Both candidates have raised a significant amount of cash, especially considering the district's rural locale, but Herrera maintains a significant cash on hand advantage.

Nothing, Horton suggested, that can't be overcome. "VaNessa has gotten kind of an early edge out there," she said of money spent on boosting name recognition in the district. "We are expecting more fundraising. So she should be just fine."

Republicans in the 18th feel the exact same way about their candidate. Given both of their potential star power and impressive backgrounds, this could wind up an unexpected race to watch come November, with next Tuesday's primary acting as a telling preview.