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Ranker, who has been endorsed by the three members of the 40th delegation - all Democrats - also touts experience, including current work lobbying on behalf of his peers on the San Juan County Council at the state and federal level.

Here are their positions on a few issues:

What can be done at the state level to protect Lake Whatcom water quality?

Van Luven: The former representative supports diversion of the Nooksack River into the lake to churn it and help deal with phosphorus levels. Van Luven contends the diversion would act similarly to when the Georgia-Pacific mill was taking thousands of gallons of water from the lake each day.

"I have to take this personal because I drink this water," said Van Luven, who has family in Whatcom County. Van Luven said the only way to get funding to help protect the lake through the Legislature is to "know the players, you have to know the system."

Ranker: An ardent environmentalist, the San Juan County Councilman believes diversion of the Nooksack isn't feasible, not to mention the possible major roadblocks because the Nooksack Indian Tribe and city of Lynden both have rights to the water before Bellingham.

"It's totally unrealistic," Ranker said, pointing out that some studies have shown that the diversion would hardly have an impact on phosphorus levels in the lake.

Not only that, but the protections of the Endangered Species Act for salmon, which travel up the river to spawn, likely also would bar diversion, Ranker said.

How can the state help with development and cleanup of Bellingham's waterfront?

Ranker: The Democratic candidate said that funding for the state's Model Toxics Control Act, which is already contributing millions of dollars to the cleanup via the state Department of Ecology, must be maintained.

Ranker also said that trying to tie the waterfront cleanup to the state Puget Sound Partnership's action agenda, due out later this year, may help guarantee more funding for the area. Ranker serves on the partnership's Ecosystem Coordination Board.

Van Luven: The Samish Island resident said the state has a "vested interest" in helping with the development and cleanup at the waterfront, but he hasn't provided specifics.

"It's not about who can drop the biggest names or who they might know," Van Luven said recently, going after Ranker, who has mentioned various people he knows at the state level who might be good to work with on such projects.

Van Luven said that the state's job isn't always to help specific counties, but that in this case if it affects Puget Sound, then it's also a state issue.

ABOUT THE CANDIDATES

STEVE VAN LUVEN

Age: 60

Family: Divorced

Education: Bachelor's degree in communications from Brigham Young University, master's of business administration from Thunderbird School of Global Management.

Employment: Owner of Mexico-China exports company SVL Enterprises

Experience: 17½ years in the state House of Representatives on behalf of Bellevue and surrounding area. U.S. Army Finance Corps veteran. Former Washington State China Relations Council board of directors member.

Web site: www.stevevanluven.com

Campaign contributions: $49,632 as of Oct. 10 Public Disclosure Commission report.

Expenditures: $29,909, according to the same report.

Major endorsements: National Rifle Association; Association of Builders & Contractors; Washington State Farm Bureau; Whatcom County Councilman Sam Crawford; former Bellingham Finance Director Lynn Carpenter.

KEVIN RANKER

Age: 38

Family: Wife, Tina; newborn daughter.

Education: Bachelor's degree in urban/coastal ecology and community development from The Evergreen State College.

Employment: Part-time consulting for The Ocean Foundation.

Experience: San Juan County Councilman, 2005-present; Washington State Oil Spill Advisory Council; chairman of the Coastal Counties Caucus; chairman of the Washington Counties Transportation Committee; former vice chairman of the Northwest Regional Council Area Agency on Aging for Whatcom, Skagit, San Juan and Island Counties.

Web site: www.kevinranker.com

Campaign contributions: $124,289 as of Oct. 10 Public Disclosure Commission report.

Expenditures: $85,566, according to the same report. Major endorsements: The entire 40th District delegation of Reps. Jeff Morris and Dave Quall and Sen. Harriet Spanel, Washington Education Association, Washington Conservation Voters, Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike and former Mayor Mark Asmundson.

Reach SAM TAYLOR at sam.taylor@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2263. Read his Politics Blog at TheBellinghamHerald.com/blogs.

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